ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) turned down a contempt petition against the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leaders for using derogatory remarks against the judiciary in the past.

A single bench of Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani heard the petition and declared it inadmissible for hearing by maintaining the objections of the registrar office.

During the hearing, Justice Kayani asked the petitioner’s counsel what is your plea? The counsel replied that anti-judiciary statements were made on social media by these leaders.

Justice Kayani questioned whether the statements are against this high court? He advised the counsel either to approach the Supreme Court or the Lahore High Court (LHC), as according to his petition the statements are against those courts.

He noted that the petitioner is from Lahore then why does he prefer this court? He asked the counsel to tell his client that there are courts in Lahore as well. The judge further inquired why his client did not raise the issue when the remarks were made.

Later, the IHC bench rejected the petition by terming it inadmissible and directed the petitioner to approach relevant forums.

According to the details, a citizen namely, Ijaz Battar filed the petition through his advocates, Intazar Hussain Panjutha and Nadeem Haider Panjutha and requested the IHC to initiate court proceedings against PDM leaders for threatening the judiciary and issuing statements against it.

The petitioner cited Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz, Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, head of Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI-F) Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Federal Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, and Atta Tarar as respondents.

He prayed before the court to summon the respondents in person and punished them under Contempt of Court Ordinance 2003 read with Article 204 of the Constitution. The petitioner contended that the PDM leaders made statements against the judiciary through press conferences and the PDM leaders continued to threaten the judiciary through statements and press releases.

He argued that the respondents time and again are using contemptuous language against the judges of the Supreme court as well as judges of the High Courts, these attitudes, acts and speeches are not only contemptuous, but also scandalise the judges of the High Court and Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022