The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday issued notice to Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon in a petition calling for his disqualification for allegedly giving contemptuous remarks against the judges. Headed by Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar, a division bench directed the provincial minister to file his response by December 16.
The court was hearing a petition filed by United Human Rights Commission of Pakistan's Secretary General Rana Faizul Hassan, who moved the court citing Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, Speaker Sindh Assembly Agha Siraj Durrani, Sharjeel Memon and the Election Commission of Pakistan as respondents.
In his petition, Rana quoted the information minister as saying that the personnel of law enforcement agencies risked their lives to arrest the terrorists but the judges, who succumb to fear and self-interests, release them. He was also quoted as saying that the judges should step down if they lacked courage to punish the hardened criminals. The petitioner argued that the minister had passed derogatory remarks against the judiciary, which was violation of the country's constitution. He pleaded to the court to summon complete recording of the provincial minister's speech, which he made on the floor of the provincial assembly and proceed against him for committing contempt of court.