SC to announce contempt case verdict against additional registrar tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan is set to announce its verdict tomorrow in the contempt of court case against an additional registrar, ARY News reported.

As per details, the case revolves around the registrar’s failure to schedule a hearing on a matter related to the powers of constitutional and regular benches.

A two-member bench, comprising Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, had reserved its verdict in the case. The issue at hand is related to the incorrect assignment of cases by Additional Registrar Nazar Abbas, who fixed cases meant for the Supreme Court’s constitutional bench instead of a regular one.

Earlier, the Supreme Court of Pakistan reserved verdict on a contempt of court show-cause to additional registrar for not fixing a case pertaining to the powers of constitutional and regular benches.

The regular Bench consisting of Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi heard the contempt proceeding initiated against the Additional Registrar.

Also read: Justice Mansoor raises ‘objections’ on intra-court appeal bench

The SC bench headed by Senior Puisne Judge Justice Mansoor Ali Shah issued a contempt of court notice to the additional registrar for transferring a case pertaining to the jurisdiction of regular benches to the constitutional bench.

Later, Additional Registrar Judicial, Nazar Abbas challenged the contempt notice issued by Supreme Court (SC) against him.

As per details, Nazar Abbas has also filed an application seeking a stay order on the contempt proceedings initiated against him.

The Supreme Court (SC), acknowledging Nazar Abbas’s intra-court appeal, constituted a six-member larger bench to hear the case. A six-member bench formed under the chairmanship of Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail will take up the plea on January 27.

According to the court’s official notification, the bench comprises Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Athar Minallah, both of whom bring extensive judicial expertise to the proceedings; additionally, Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Shahid Waheed, and Justice Musarrat Hilali have also been included in the larger bench, ensuring a robust and comprehensive adjudication of the appeal.

On January 20, the Supreme Court (SC) issued show-cause notice of contempt of the court to its Additional Registrar Nazar Abbas, ordering him to appear in person.

Barrister Salahuddin during the hearing of a case informed the bench headed by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah that the court had ordered to fix the case today, but the cause list was not issued.

“Why the case with regard to the Supreme Court benches powers, was not fixed before the court,” Justice Shah asked as he summoned the court official.

Deputy Registrar Zulfiqar Ahmed appeared before the court and informed about the leave of the additional registrar.