Sanctity of the law: Contempt plea against premier's remarks regarding judiciary
PM Nawaz had claimed that the judges were too afraid to give verdicts in terrorism cases.
PM Nawaz had claimed that the judges were too afraid to give verdicts in terrorism cases. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
KARACHI:
A civil rights activist, Syed Mehmood Akhtar Naqvi, has requested the Sindh High Court to initiate contempt proceedings against Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif for "ridiculing" the judiciary through his remarks. PM Nawaz had earlier stated that the judges were too afraid to give verdicts under the prevailing law and order situation in Karachi.
Naqvi filed the petition in the high court on Saturday, citing Nawaz as the alleged contemnor. The petitioner referred to the remarks attributed to the prime minister during the announcement of the special anti-terror force on October 10, wherein he was quoted as saying that the judges in the city of Karachi were too scared to decide the terrorism cases under the prevailing law and order situation.
"Nawaz's remarks tantamount to ridiculing the honourable judges and committing contempt of court," Naqvi maintained in his plea.
He pleaded to the court to call the entire record relating to the PM Nawaz Sharif's remarks and then initiate contempt proceedings against him under article 204 of the Constitution and the Contempt of Court Ordinance 2003.
Investigating premier's claims
Earlier, the Sindh High Court had conducted an investigation into the proceedings of the murder trial of Naimat Ali Randhawa, following the remarks made by the PM.
Media reports had linked the premier's statement to the murder trial of Randhawa who is believed to have been killed by an activist of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.
On Friday, the SHC chief justice, Mabool Baqar, had taken notice of the matter and summoned the public prosecutor of the incumbent court as well as the judicial magistrate who had conducted the identification parade for the sole suspect, Syed Kazim Abbas Rizvi.
According to sources, Baqar expressed satisfaction over the status of the trial after he was assured by both the prosecutor and the judicial officer that they were neither being pressured nor threatened by anyone.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 13th, 2013.
A civil rights activist, Syed Mehmood Akhtar Naqvi, has requested the Sindh High Court to initiate contempt proceedings against Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif for "ridiculing" the judiciary through his remarks. PM Nawaz had earlier stated that the judges were too afraid to give verdicts under the prevailing law and order situation in Karachi.
Naqvi filed the petition in the high court on Saturday, citing Nawaz as the alleged contemnor. The petitioner referred to the remarks attributed to the prime minister during the announcement of the special anti-terror force on October 10, wherein he was quoted as saying that the judges in the city of Karachi were too scared to decide the terrorism cases under the prevailing law and order situation.
"Nawaz's remarks tantamount to ridiculing the honourable judges and committing contempt of court," Naqvi maintained in his plea.
He pleaded to the court to call the entire record relating to the PM Nawaz Sharif's remarks and then initiate contempt proceedings against him under article 204 of the Constitution and the Contempt of Court Ordinance 2003.
Investigating premier's claims
Earlier, the Sindh High Court had conducted an investigation into the proceedings of the murder trial of Naimat Ali Randhawa, following the remarks made by the PM.
Media reports had linked the premier's statement to the murder trial of Randhawa who is believed to have been killed by an activist of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.
On Friday, the SHC chief justice, Mabool Baqar, had taken notice of the matter and summoned the public prosecutor of the incumbent court as well as the judicial magistrate who had conducted the identification parade for the sole suspect, Syed Kazim Abbas Rizvi.
According to sources, Baqar expressed satisfaction over the status of the trial after he was assured by both the prosecutor and the judicial officer that they were neither being pressured nor threatened by anyone.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 13th, 2013.