SC frames charges against PML-N's Daniyal Aziz in contempt of court case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday indicted Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader and Privatization Minister Daniyal Aziz on charges of making derogatory and contemptuous remarks against judges.

Justice Mushir Alam of the apex court read out charges against the minister in the courtroom, which he denied and opted to contest them.

He was indicted under Article 204 of the country’s constitution, which provides for punishment of a person for contempt of court in accordance with law.

Earlier, the top court had issued a show-cause notice to the PML-N leader, asking him to explain why contempt of court proceedings should not be initiated against him for issuing contemptuous remarks against the judiciary. 

It observed that he made inappropriate remarks about the judiciary, which were telecast by various television channels on December 15. These remarks, prima facie, constituted contempt of the court, the court said.

On February 2, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar took a suo motu notice of the federal minister’s remarks against the judiciary.

The apex court is also seized with the hearing of a contempt of court case against State Minister Talal Chaudhry.

He has been served a  show-cause notice, which said, “You have made derogatory and contemptuous speeches and statements at public gatherings, telecast by different TV channels.”

The speeches, prima facie, constituted interference with and obstruction of the process of the court as well as aimed at belittling the stature of this apex court within the contemplation of Article 204 of the Constitution of Pakistan, 1973, read with Section 3 of the Contempt of Court Ordinance, 2003, it added.