Supreme Court disqualifies Talal Chaudhry for five years in contempt case

ISLAMABAD: A bench of Supreme Court disqualifies Talal Chaudhry PML-N Leader as he was found guilty for contempt of court, Supreme Court of Pakistan handed him sentence till the rising of the court, ARY News reported on Thursday.

The sentence by a three judges bench of the apex court headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmed renders Talal Chaudhry disqualified to hold public office for a period of five years. The court also imposed Rs. One Lac fine on the PML-N leader.

Talal Chaudhry, during his speech at a PML-N rally in Jarranwala in January this year, had said: “There was an era when the Kaabah was full of idols. Today, the judiciary, which is the country’s highest institution, is also full of PCO [Provisional Constitution Order] judges.”

Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar had taken suo motu notice of the contemptuous speech.

The Supreme Court bench after hearing Chaudhry’s arguments on July 11, had close the case and reserved its judgement, which was announced today.

The bench sentenced Talal Chaudhry till the rising of the court — a punishment that carries with it an automatic five-year disqualification of holding a public office under Article 63 (1)(g) of the Constitution.

Previously, courts also found former federal minister Danial Aziz and ex-senator of PML-N, Nihal Hashmi guilty of contemptuous speeches and disqualified them from holding public offices.

The case background

The apex court had launched contempt of court proceedings against Talal Chaudhry  for railing against the judiciary at a rally in the wake of former premier Nawaz Sharif’s ouster in the Panama Papers case last year.

At PML-N’s Jarianwala public meeting , the PML-N leader had 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 force out “those judges out because they will not do justice.”

The Supreme Court in March this year had indicted Chaudhry for making contemptuous and derogatory remarks against the judiciary.

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.