ISLAMABAD – Islamabad High Court on Monday has deferred indictment of former judge Rana Shamim in a case pertaining to allegations against former Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar.
Reports in local media said the court deferred the indictment of the former chief judge of Gilgit-Baltistan Rana Shamim and gave another chance to the accused to satisfy the bench over the contempt proceedings.
Shamim filed an application asking the court to grant some time as the affidavit will take at least three days to arrive. During the hearing, Justice Minallah remarked that the public’s trust in the court has been damaged by a news report, saying that the court would not tolerate any attempt to undermine the public’s confidence.
Meanwhile, the publisher and editor-in-chief of the newspaper which published the affidavit text also appeared before the court during the hearing led by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah.
The accused had to submit a notarized original copy of the affidavit during today’s hearing as earlier court set December 13 as the indictment date.
In another development, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid confirmed that Shamim’s name has been placed on the Provisional National Identification List – an alternative to ECL.
IHC tells Rana Shamim to produce original affidavit in contempt case or face indictment
The name of the former judge was placed so that he could not escape, Rashid said adding that a meeting would be held to decide whether to place the former judge’s name on the Exit Control List (ECL).
It all started when a news story of a leading publication said former CJP Saqib Nisar influenced judicial proceedings to prolong the detention of then PM Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz following their conviction in the Avenfield apartments reference.
