ISLAMABAD: The former chief justice of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), Rana Shamim on Monday submitted an unconditional written apology to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a contempt of court case against him.

A single bench of Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the contempt case against the former judge of GB.

The court in its written order said a reply has been filed by the alleged contemnor (Rana Muhammad Shamim). However, it added, “In order to meet the ends of justice, it would be appropriate to give an opportunity to the alleged contemnor to file an affidavit. The affidavit is directed to be filed before the date fixed.”

Later, the bench deferred the hearing till September 19 for further proceedings in this matter.

The IHC bench had started the contempt of court proceeding against Rana Mohammad Shamim, former Chief Judge of the Supreme Appellate Court of Gilgit-Baltistan and others after the publication of a news item claiming that Shamim executed an affidavit in which he levelled allegations against former chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar.

During the hearing, Shamim’s lawyer Abdul Latif Afridi presented a written apology, saying the former GB top judge listened to former CJP Nisar’s views during a meeting with him over tea and he had heard the words “senior puisne judge” time and again from the former CJP.

Rana stated that he was under extreme mental stress and was a serious heart patient aged 72 when he wrote down his affidavit after approximately three long years since the meeting. He further said that’s why he fell victim to a misunderstanding and wrote the name Justice Aamer by mistake instead of “senior puisne judge” in the affidavit.

The former GB judge continued that he now deeply regrets the grave mistake that he inadvertently made and sought an unconditional apology for it. Rana added that he has been showing regret and has been apologising for the misunderstanding on his part, since the start of proceedings in the contempt case.

He maintained that he cannot even fathom scandalising the very institution he had served so dearly and with the utmost professionalism. The judge also said that he reiterates that no sitting judge of this honourable court involves in controversy mentioned above and he tenders unconditional apology to all sitting judges of this court for the grave misunderstanding and mistake on his part and places himself at the mercy of this court with humble request to graciously forgive him.

At this, the IHC chief justice said that Shamim wants to apologise, however, he should first prove what was said in the affidavit. He added that if he fails to prove it, then Shamim should call it a misunderstanding and apologise and it would then be taken into consideration.

He also remarked that the court would find what is true and that the court would not take any action against Shamim if he proved that he was right. He further remarked that if someone apologised in a contempt case and also reflected it with his conduct then the court did not consider continuing proceeding as it had no ego.

The judge said that no one could influence it even if he was a chief justice. He made it clear that standing with the affidavit and apology at the same time could not stay together. He continued that if he was standing with his affidavit then he should hold us as accountable with proving allegations. The lawyer said that his client was under mental stress at the time when the affidavit was written due to the deaths in family.

Justice Minallah said that the truth should be exposed whatever it was. He added that a serious allegation was levelled against this court which could not be ignored.

Last week, the IHC had issued a deadline for Shamim to submit the list of witnesses in his defence in the contempt of court case. The high court said that if Shamim does not submit the list of witnesses by September 12, it would be assumed that his affidavit is not valid.

The prosecution has submitted a list of four witnesses, which does not include former chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar.