SC issues contempt of court notice to Malik Riaz
Riaz's speech his own point of view, not mine, says Bukhari.
ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Court issued a contempt of court notice to Malik Riaz, saying that he “ridiculed the judiciary” in his press conference held the previous day, Express News reported on Wednesday.
Justice Shakirullah Jan made this remark and summoned Riaz to court on June 14. The Supreme Court issued the show-cause notice as per Article 204 of the Constitution and the contempt of court ordinance to Riaz.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, on Wednesday, took suo motu notice of the press conference held by business tycoon Malik Riaz a day earlier.
A three member bench was constituted for the hearing of this suo motu case, headed by Justice Shakirullah Jan.
The hearing was adjourned till June 14.
Earlier, in a meeting held prior to hearing the day’s cases, the Supreme Court decided to summon the record for the press conference that business tycoon Malik Riaz held in defiance of the apex court.
As a result of the meeting, hearing of all cases began at 10am.
Riaz, on Tuesday, defied the court by holding a press conference pertaining to the Arsalan Iftikhar case.
With a pocket-sized copy of the Holy Quran in his hand, Malik Riaz hurled serious but contradictory charges against Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and his son.
He also claimed that there was no free judiciary in the country, saying that it was being run by a ‘don’, namely Arsalan Iftikhar.
Riaz had posed three questions to the chief justice, while daring the court to call him for contempt or to send him to jail.
Riaz's speech his own point of view, not mine: Bukhari
Malik Riaz’s counsel, Zahid Bukhari, while speaking to the media distanced himself from Riaz’s press conference held earlier, saying that he was bound only by the written statement he had presented in court and that Riaz’s speech yesterday was his own point of view.
“I am a part of the court’s proceedings. The answers and lawful objections were raised by me and I own them too,” said Bukhari, adding that as far as the press conference was concerned, it was “not conducted on any legal directives” by him.
“The points of view Malik Riaz gave there were his own and as you must have seen, I refused to answer any questions there.”
Upon being asked if this could lead to Riaz being held in contempt of court as he had discussed a case which was still being heard, Bukhari said, “No. If that is how it is then I can be held in contempt of court too”.
Pakistan Teheek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan also swore by the Quran, saying that he had not taken any money from Bahria town, and added that the chief justice’s son should be penalized if guilty.
The Supreme Court issued a contempt of court notice to Malik Riaz, saying that he “ridiculed the judiciary” in his press conference held the previous day, Express News reported on Wednesday.
Justice Shakirullah Jan made this remark and summoned Riaz to court on June 14. The Supreme Court issued the show-cause notice as per Article 204 of the Constitution and the contempt of court ordinance to Riaz.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, on Wednesday, took suo motu notice of the press conference held by business tycoon Malik Riaz a day earlier.
A three member bench was constituted for the hearing of this suo motu case, headed by Justice Shakirullah Jan.
The hearing was adjourned till June 14.
Earlier, in a meeting held prior to hearing the day’s cases, the Supreme Court decided to summon the record for the press conference that business tycoon Malik Riaz held in defiance of the apex court.
As a result of the meeting, hearing of all cases began at 10am.
Riaz, on Tuesday, defied the court by holding a press conference pertaining to the Arsalan Iftikhar case.
With a pocket-sized copy of the Holy Quran in his hand, Malik Riaz hurled serious but contradictory charges against Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and his son.
He also claimed that there was no free judiciary in the country, saying that it was being run by a ‘don’, namely Arsalan Iftikhar.
Riaz had posed three questions to the chief justice, while daring the court to call him for contempt or to send him to jail.
Riaz's speech his own point of view, not mine: Bukhari
Malik Riaz’s counsel, Zahid Bukhari, while speaking to the media distanced himself from Riaz’s press conference held earlier, saying that he was bound only by the written statement he had presented in court and that Riaz’s speech yesterday was his own point of view.
“I am a part of the court’s proceedings. The answers and lawful objections were raised by me and I own them too,” said Bukhari, adding that as far as the press conference was concerned, it was “not conducted on any legal directives” by him.
“The points of view Malik Riaz gave there were his own and as you must have seen, I refused to answer any questions there.”
Upon being asked if this could lead to Riaz being held in contempt of court as he had discussed a case which was still being heard, Bukhari said, “No. If that is how it is then I can be held in contempt of court too”.
Pakistan Teheek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan also swore by the Quran, saying that he had not taken any money from Bahria town, and added that the chief justice’s son should be penalized if guilty.