SC rejects request to initiate contempt cases against Nawaz, Shahbaz

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a request to proceed against former premier Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for issuing contemptuous statements against judges.  

Headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, the bench disposed of constitutional petitions seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against the Sharif brothers.

The petitioner told the judges that Shahbaz committed contempt of court by issuing remarks against the judiciary. He quoted the chief minister as saying that judges as well as generals didn’t do justice.

“This is the truth. No one has done justice to the country,” the chief justice said. “We haven’t discharged our responsibilities in earnest.”

“Had we fulfilled our responsibilities, the situation would have been different,” he added.

The petitioner said the former premier had been severely criticizing the judiciary since July 28 when he was ousted from the office of the prime minister.

CJP Nisar said the statements being given about the judiciary were available with them, which would be examined at any appropriate time.

Meanwhile, the bench also took up a contempt case against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan pending disposal since 2014.

Hashmat Habib, the petitioner’s counsel, said he wanted to pursue the case to which the chief justice said he set a date for the hearing of the case.