Contempt proceedings: President told to avoid politics, again

Additional Attorney General Abdul Gillani accused media organisations of misreporting President Zardari’s activities

LAHORE:

A full bench of the Lahore High Court on Monday, during the hearing of a petition seeking contempt of court proceeding against President Asif Zardari, once again directed him to refrain from participating in political activities.

The bench, headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, included Justice Nasir Saeed Sheikh, Justice Sheikh Najamul Hassan, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah as members. They heard the petition for not the president’s compliance with the LHC’s judgment against his holding the office of president issued on May 12, 2011. They were told that the president had not stopped political activities despite being ordered to do so by the bench on February 15.

Additional Attorney General Abdul Hayee Gillani on Monday accused media organisations of misreporting President Zardari’s activities and not publishing clarifications issued by the presidency. Gillani produced text of the clarifications issued by the presidency in response to news regarding the president’s ‘political activities’ during his recent visit to Lahore. He said the news could not be considered authentic because media persons were told to stay three kilometres away from the Bilawal House in Lahore.

The bench expressed dissatisfaction with this plea and said the language of the clarifications was ineffective. The chief justice said the clarifications did not deny media reports, only disputed them.

Justice Bandial questioned a public meeting held by the president in Multan but Gillani replied saying it did not violate the court’s judgment.

The CJ said the presidency should take sincere measures to establish its commitment to the implementation of the LHC’s order. He said, “Freedom of the press is a fundamental right and courts have a duty to protect that right. We are not inclined to enter a controversy over whether newspapers can justify their reports. That is a matter for the president to attend.” The petitioner’s counsel presented a list of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and PPP- Parliamentarian office bearers to establish that President Zardari was involved in political activity.

The chief justice observed that both parties were led by the same persons. Most PPP officer bearers were also members of the National Assembly and Senate, he said.

Justice Bandial directed Gillani to file a reply in this regard and adjourned the meeting till March 29.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 19^th, 2013.