Deflecting criticism: No one can disgrace me, says Justice Khawaja
Says he won’t take action against banners criticising him for hearing Geo TV’s petition.
Says he won’t take action against banners criticising him for hearing Geo TV’s petition.
ISLAMABAD:
In response to banners hung across the federal capital criticising him for continuing to hear Geo TV’s petition, Supreme Court Justice Jawwad S Khawaja has observed that no one can disgrace him and the truth will prevail in the case.
“Honour and dishonor is in the hands of God Almighty, and not human beings,” he said during the hearing of Geo TV’s petition on Friday. The three-judge bench headed by Justice Khawaja resumed the hearing of the petition which seeks court intervention to put an end to what Geo TV has termed a ‘hate campaign’ against the network.
On Thursday, Justice Khawaja refused to recuse himself from the bench hearing the petition after it emerged that he is related to Geo TV CEO Mir Shakilur Rehman. Several banners criticising the top court judge for his adamancy were hung across Islamabad following his refusal.
During Friday’s hearing, lawyer Taufiq Asif – said to be close to former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry – urged the court to take notice of the banners which he said were aimed at disgracing the judiciary.
But, Justice Khawaja said he was not disturbed by the banners criticising him and made it clear that he would not do anything in this regard. Instead, he asked Asif to file a petition over the issue. The judge added that no one could harm the dignity of the judiciary this way and that the bench would not shirk from its responsibility.
The hearing of the case was adjourned till Monday.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 24th, 2014.
In response to banners hung across the federal capital criticising him for continuing to hear Geo TV’s petition, Supreme Court Justice Jawwad S Khawaja has observed that no one can disgrace him and the truth will prevail in the case.
“Honour and dishonor is in the hands of God Almighty, and not human beings,” he said during the hearing of Geo TV’s petition on Friday. The three-judge bench headed by Justice Khawaja resumed the hearing of the petition which seeks court intervention to put an end to what Geo TV has termed a ‘hate campaign’ against the network.
On Thursday, Justice Khawaja refused to recuse himself from the bench hearing the petition after it emerged that he is related to Geo TV CEO Mir Shakilur Rehman. Several banners criticising the top court judge for his adamancy were hung across Islamabad following his refusal.
During Friday’s hearing, lawyer Taufiq Asif – said to be close to former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry – urged the court to take notice of the banners which he said were aimed at disgracing the judiciary.
But, Justice Khawaja said he was not disturbed by the banners criticising him and made it clear that he would not do anything in this regard. Instead, he asked Asif to file a petition over the issue. The judge added that no one could harm the dignity of the judiciary this way and that the bench would not shirk from its responsibility.
The hearing of the case was adjourned till Monday.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 24th, 2014.