IHC CJ Athar Minallah says he expects that in future, such statements will not be made on subjudice matters in future
ISLAMABAD: (Urdu Point/Pakistan Point News-Nov 25th, 2019) Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday acquitted Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan and Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan in contempt of court case.
IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah cautioned both the leaders from making comments on subjudice matters. Announcing reserved verdict that was reserved on November 14, CJ Minallah observed: “We expect that opinions will not be made on subjudice matters in future,”.
Addressing both leaders, the CJ remarked that they had been representing the government and had many responsibilities but the words you made fell under criminal contempt of court.
The court last month issued Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan for her remarks which the court termed “contempt of court” and summoned her to explain her position. Dr. Firdous had said that IHC’s decision regarding bail matter of Nawaz Sharif would open a floodgate of similar requests by many other prisoners suffering from various diseases in jails. The court also sought explanation from Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan for linking the court’s order with a deal for release of Nawaz Sharif in Al-Azizia reference.
Both the leaders appeared before the court and submitted conditional ideologies for their statements. Ghulam Sarwar Khan said that he was a political worker and could not think of insulting the judicial authorities.
Dr. Awan said that her case was completely separate and also defended her colleague Ghulam Sarwar Khan saying that he did not mean “contempt of court”.
“You are not ordinary people and you must stay away from clubbing politics with judiciary,” the CJ remarked when both the leaders submitted their unconditional apologies. “Such contemptuous remarks coming from Special Assistant to Prime Minister are nothing but regrettable,” Justice Minallah further remarked.
The court, after assurance from both leaders, ordered acquittal of Special Assistant to PM on Information and Broadcasting Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan and Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan and disposed of the matter.
