SC adjourns contempt case against Talal Chaudhry over lawyer's absence

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the hearing of a contempt of court case against PML-N leader and State Minister Talal Chaudhry till March 6.

A bench of the apex court adjourned the hearing owing to the absence of the PML-N leader’s lawyer.

The court has given the minister a show-cause notice to explain why he may not be proceeded against for committing contempt of court by making contemptuous and derogatory speeches, maligning the judiciary.

In his reply, which he filed on Saturday, the minister said he never indulged in mocking the judiciary, nor could he even think of committing contempt of court.

He claimed that his statement about the judiciary was taken out of context. He said he had never wittingly or unwittingly acted in a manner, which can be deemed as contempt of court.

The PML-N leader asked the apex court to provide details of his statement on the basis of which contempt proceedings were initiated against him.

He said every citizen has right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19 of the Constitution.

Talal Chaudhry requested the court to quash contempt of court proceedings against him.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar had taken a suo motu notice of the contemptuous statements given by the minister against the judiciary.

At PML-N’s Jarianwala public meeting, Talal Chaudhry bitterly criticized the judiciary, saying: “There was a time when the Kaabah was full of idols. Today, the judiciary is also full of PCO judges.”

He had asked the party chief to throw “those judges out because they will not do justice.”