Adjourning the hearing in contempt of court case against business tycoon Malik Riaz Hussain on Thursday, the Supreme Court observed that the bench would decide whether or not it should indict Riaz on July 13 (today).
A three-member bench comprising Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Ejaz Afzal and Justice Athar Saeed resumed the hearing of the case. Dr Abdul Basit, counsel for Malik Riaz, contended that he and his client had accepted the show-cause notice and that the trial should be conducted under the new law for contempt of court.
It is worth mentioning that a show-cause notice was issued to Riaz on June 13 for making allegations at Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry during a press conference on June 12.
Dr Basit further said that according to the new law on contempt of court a "show-cause notice" became void, adding that his client had clearly stated that he had deep respect for Supreme Court and the Chief Justice. Meanwhile, Dr Basit claimed that his client was not given any relief by the court. Justice Shakirullah Jan observed that a notice was issued to Riaz precisely because there was a dire need to take action over the press conference, adding that the bench would decide on the next of hearing about the law to be applied in the matter in hand. Subsequently, the bench adjourned the hearing of case till July 13.