ISLAMABAD – The Supreme Court has expressed its displeasure after chief executive of Jang and Geo group Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman for the third time on Wednesday failed to appear in a case pertaining to non-payment of staff salaries.
A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, resumed hearing of the case.
As the hearing began, the Chief Justice asked whether Rahman was present in the court, to which, counsel for the media outlet head replied that Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman’s son Mir Ibrahim, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Geo News, was present in the court.
The chief executive of Jang and Geo group had also been ordered to appear before the court on Monday and Tuesday but he did not.
The Chief Justice, then remarked, he did not know Mir Ibrahim. The court was informed that Rahman could not appear before the court as he was ill.
CJP Saqib Nisar ordered to bring the chief executive of Jang and Geo group to court on a stretcher if he was too ill to appear in court.
He remarked that Rahman was proud enough that he did not make an appearance before the court, adding that the chief executive termed the court orders “crap”.
The Chief Justice ordered Shakil-ur-Rahman to appear before the court and explained why the salaries have not been given to the staff. He warned that legal action will be taken on not dispensing the salaries.
The court then adjourned the case till Monday (April 23).
In a hearing on April 4, the top judge had ordered the media group to give salaries to all its employees by April 30. The bench had also asked the media house to pay the salaries even if it has to “beg or borrow”.
