Lawyer asks SC to forgo contempt charges against Talal

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court formally began contempt of court proceedings against PML-N leader and State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry on Friday (today) for making contemptuous remarks against the judiciary. 

Headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, a bench of the apex court hearing the case, started recording testimonies against the minister in contempt proceedings.

A law officer, representing the government, produced a witness, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) Director General Monitoring Haji Adam, to record his testimony.

The witness informed that he has now been serving as DG Operations and had previously performed his duties as DG Monitoring.

As DG Monitoring, he said, his job was to monitor 217 channels.  He added the Additional Attorney General Office sent him two letters – on January 24 and 27 – along with the transcript of the minister’s speeches in question and sought their video clips which he provided forthwith.

When the prosecutor said he will present two CD recordings of the speeches as evidence, Advocate Kamran Murtaza, representing the PML-N leader, raised objection, saying whether a witness will produce any evidence was not mentioned in a list of witnesses that would testify against his client.

He, thus, said no evidence could be produced against his client.

He pleaded with the bench to drop contempt charges against his client, saying he didn’t feel good to defend him against contempt charges. Upon this, Justice Ejaz Afzal reminded him that it was part of his duty to conduct defence and he was employed for the purpose.

The judge reaffirmed that the court’s objective was to ensure implementation of the law.

The hearing of the case was adjourned till April 30.