PPP leader Abidi arrested over contemptuous remarks

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader and former senator Faisal Raza Abidi was arrested on Wednesday outside the Supreme Court.

The Secretariat police arrested the PPP leader after he appeared for the hearing of a contempt case against him in the apex court over his ‘anti-judiciary’ remarks on a private television channel.

فیصل رضا عابدی عدلیہ اور چیف جسٹس کی توہین کرتے ہوئے۔۔۔۔@faisalrazaa pic.twitter.com/uwji1mYQAR

— Wiqas Shah (@WiqasSyed) September 19, 2018

On September 21, multiple cases were registered against former senator Faisal Raza Abidi for using inappropriate words against the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mian Saqib Nisar.

The Supreme Court’s Public Relations Officer, Shahid Hussain Kambo registered the complaint in Secretariat Police Station under Pakistan Penal Code’s sections 228, 500, 505(ii) and 34 along with Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).

On September 28, the Sindh government issued approval to the Islamabad police to arrest Abidi.

Earlier this year, a contempt case was also taken up against Abidi by the Supreme Court.

A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar, had conducted the hearing of the contempt case and remarked that the channel, which aired anti-judiciary tirade of Abidi, should be ashamed.

Abidi served as the Karachi division president of the Pakistan Peoples Party but later stepped down from the post.