SC Serves Show-cause Notices To Faisal Vawda, Mustafa Kamal On Anti-judiciary Remarks

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th May, 2024) The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday served show-cause notice to Senator Faisal Vawda and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)’s leader Mustafa Kamal and summoned them in person on the next hearing in a suo-moto case about remarks against judiciary.

The court directed the politicians to clarify that why a contempt of court proceedings shouldn’t be initiated against them on controversial remarks about judiciary.

A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Naeem Afghan and Justice Irfan Saadat Khan, heard the suo-moto case on a press conference of Senator Faisal Vawda and remarks by Mustafa Kamal.

During the hearing, the chief justice sought the details of the press conference of Faisal Vawda and also inquired from the additional attorney general whether the content of media talks did come under contempt.

The AAG said that the words were muted in the press conference transcript which he had witnessed.

The Chief Justice said that there had been some remarks against him but he just ignored, and apparently this emboldened them to make comments in public.

The CJP said : "We will not allow to target the institution and if someone has done wrong, then point out it by naming the person."

He further remarked that the institutions belonged to the people and any act defaming was not a service to the country.

He said: "If someone has some way out for improvement, then he should write to him or to the Registrar office and we wouldn’t allow targeting the institution as it affects public’s trust in judiciary."

He said the Constitution and laws related to freedom of speech and contempt of court were clear and there was no ambiguity in this regard. The politician held a conference, instead he could have expressed these views in the parliament, he added.

He said that it seemed as if this was done for a specific purpose, and after a press conference, Mustafa Kamal also spoke. Referring to Zulifkar Ali Bhutto case, the CJP said "We have rectified ourselves in this specific issue."

Later, the court adjourned hearing of the case till June 5.