LHC discharges contempt notice against Ahsan Iqbal

LAHORE: A Lahore High Court (LHC) full bench on Monday discharged a contempt of court notice issued to former interior minister Ahsan Iqbal over an anti-judiciary speech, made in April this year after accepting his apology.

The three-member bench, headed by Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, heard the plea, filed by one Munir Ahmad against Ahsan Iqbal over anti-judiciary remarks.

Former minister Ahsan Iqbal, along with his counsel, Azam Nazir Tarar, appeared before the bench at the outset of hearing on Monday.

Justice Naqvi observed that another petition had been received against Ahsan Iqbal with a plea not to accept his apology in the case. He emphasised the need for adopting good attitude during the court proceedings. "Where are those people today, who had hurled verbal abuse," he questioned.

"You should be a role model for your people," remarked Justice Atir Mahmood, another member of the bench, while addressing the senior PML-N leader.

To which, Ahsan Iqbal expressed his gratitude and submitted that he would be more careful about his words in future. Subsequently, the bench discharged the notice, while accepting his apology.

Ahsan Iqbal had already tendered an unconditional apology over the contempt of court issue, on July 2, but the bench adjourned the matter till Sept 10, observing that it would review the matter after summer vacation while considering Ahsan Iqbal's behaviour.

The petitioner had submitted that Ahsan Iqbal, then interior minister, had used derogatory remarks against the Supreme Court judges on April 25 and the same was aired by private TV channels. He contended that the respondents' action was barred under Articles 68 of the Constitution, but the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) did not take any action despite being empowered by the PEMRA Ordinance.

He submitted that the authority failed to implement provisions of PEMRA ordinance and the court orders of April 16; therefore, contempt proceedings should be initiated against the respondents.