ISLAMABAD – Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the hearing of contempt case against Minister of State for Interior Affairs Talal Chaudhry adjourned till March 6.
A three-member bench headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan resumed hearing of the case after the apex court took notice of anti-judiciary speeches by the minister in January.
During the hearing, Justice Ejaz asked if the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) leader had filed the reply to the show cause notice. Talalla Chaudhry informed the court that he had submitted reply.
Later, the court was informed that Chaudhry’s counsel Kamran Murtaza was absent from the court; therefore, the case has been adjourned till March 6.
On Feb 1, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Mian Saqib Nisar took suo motu notice of the anti-judiciary speeches by PML-N leader Tallal Chaudhry.
Sources said the registrar gave reference to various speeches made by the state minister in which he insulted the judiciary.
Chaudhry was seen launching a tirade against judiciary at the ruling party’s recent rally in Jaranwala where PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz also criticised Supreme Court and judges.
During his speech at PML-N’s rally in Jarranwala last week, Chaudhry had said: “There was an era when the Kaabah was full of idols. Today, the judiciary, which is the country’s highest institution, is also full of PCO [Provisional Constitution Order] idols.”
“Mian Nawaz Sharif, throw them out, throw him out of the court. They will not give justice but will continue their injustices.”
He said that despite Sharif — the PML-N head — doing so much for the country, “They say that somebody else should become the prime minister.”
Chaudhry has been criticising judiciary in talk-shows and media-talks on occasions of hearings against Sharif family at Accountability Court and the Supreme Court.
Earlier, the apex court announced its verdict in the contempt case of Senator Nehal Hashmi, sentencing him to one-month imprisonment and Rs50,000 fine.
The Supreme Court also ruled that Hashmi stood disqualified from holding public office for of five years under Article 63 (1)(g) of the constitution.
