SC rejects Talal's plea

While rejecting Talal Chaudhry's plea to take up contempt of court case after the general election, the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday directed his counsel to advance final arguments on the matter on July 11. Justice Gulzar Ahmed, heading a three-judge bench, said on the last hearing they had given final opportunity to the contemnor to produce the witnesses. However, despite that order no witness was produced on Monday and more time was sought.
Justice Gulzar told Kamran Murtaza, counsel of Chaudhry that it seems his client in not serious as the witnesses could not be presented despite the final warning. The court, therefore, waived contemnor's right to produce the witnesses in his defence.
Kamran Murtaza told the bench that the witnesses are busy in the election campaigns; therefore, they could not appear before the court. He requested the court to take up this matter after the general election.
Justice Gulzar declined his request and adjourned the case until July 11. He ordered the prosecution and defence counsels to come prepared on the next date of hearing for final arguments as they want to conclude the case.
Chaudhry has produced the list of 17 witnesses; however, two witnesses including General Manager Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), Muhammad Tahir, recorded the statements and were cross-examined. Tahir in his statement told that till May 22, 2018, no complaint against Chaudhry was pending before the PEMRA.
Chaudhry recorded his statement on May 21 under Section 342 of Code of Criminal Procedure. He requested the court to withdraw the charge of contempt of court against him by not casting doubts on his intentions about the dignity of the court.
Talal's stance is that his January 24, 2018 press talk was edited with mala fide intentions and many of his sentences were removed from the actual substance to make it controversial, while his January 27, 2018 speech was not against any of the judges. He contended that the video of his speech that was kept on record was edited with mala fide intension to spoil the actual and original context of his speech.