Contempt of court: SC bars Malik Riaz from giving statements to media
Justice Jan observes until the case is subjudice, Riaz should not give any statement to the media.
ISLAMABAD:
While hearing the contempt of court case against business tycoon Malik Riaz, the Supreme Court on Thursday barred him from giving any statements to media, Express News reported.
The Supreme Court had issued a contempt of court notice to Malik Riaz, saying that he “ridiculed the judiciary” in his press conference held on Tuesday.
Heading a three-member bench, Justice Shakirullah Jan observed that until the case is subjudice, Riaz should not give any statement to the media.
He left the Supreme Court premises without speaking to journalists.
The court directed Riaz to appoint a lawyer within seven days in the contempt of court case against him. The businessman asked for more time and said that he could not arrange for a lawyer before 10 days.
The bench adjourned the hearing till June 21.
A petition filed by Ashraf Gujjar was also being heard by the bench. The petition sought that Riaz should be placed on Exit Control List (ECL).
Disposing of the petition, Justice Jan observed that Riaz came to the court whenever he was summoned and his behaviour “does not indicate that he will run away.”
Riaz, on Tuesday, had held a press conference pertaining to the Arsalan Iftikhar case.
With a pocket-sized copy of the Holy Quran in his hand, he had hurled serious but contradictory charges against Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and his son.
Riaz had also claimed that there was no free judiciary in the country, saying that it was being run by a ‘don’, namely Arsalan Iftikhar.
The business tycoon had posed three questions to the chief justice, while daring the court to call him for contempt or to send him to jail.
While hearing the contempt of court case against business tycoon Malik Riaz, the Supreme Court on Thursday barred him from giving any statements to media, Express News reported.
The Supreme Court had issued a contempt of court notice to Malik Riaz, saying that he “ridiculed the judiciary” in his press conference held on Tuesday.
Heading a three-member bench, Justice Shakirullah Jan observed that until the case is subjudice, Riaz should not give any statement to the media.
He left the Supreme Court premises without speaking to journalists.
The court directed Riaz to appoint a lawyer within seven days in the contempt of court case against him. The businessman asked for more time and said that he could not arrange for a lawyer before 10 days.
The bench adjourned the hearing till June 21.
A petition filed by Ashraf Gujjar was also being heard by the bench. The petition sought that Riaz should be placed on Exit Control List (ECL).
Disposing of the petition, Justice Jan observed that Riaz came to the court whenever he was summoned and his behaviour “does not indicate that he will run away.”
Riaz, on Tuesday, had held a press conference pertaining to the Arsalan Iftikhar case.
With a pocket-sized copy of the Holy Quran in his hand, he had hurled serious but contradictory charges against Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and his son.
Riaz had also claimed that there was no free judiciary in the country, saying that it was being run by a ‘don’, namely Arsalan Iftikhar.
The business tycoon had posed three questions to the chief justice, while daring the court to call him for contempt or to send him to jail.