The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday ordered the Advocate General of Punjab (AGP) office to file a reply in a contempt petition against Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif for allegedly influencing court proceedings on the matter of Orange Line Metro Train (OMT) project through his speeches.
Azhar Siddique Advocate told the court that the Punjab CM had tried to influence the court’s proceedings in the matter of OMT project. He said it does not suit a chief minister to give such remarks.
A law officer defended the CM, saying that it is a political issue and the CM had not tried to influence or attack the court proceedings. On it, the court asked the law officer to file a written reply if it was a political issue.
Kamil Khan Mumtaz and others had filed a contempt petition against the Punjab CM for allegedly speaking in a victorious mood over the matter of OMT project. The petitioners said that the court had barred the government from carrying out the project but the CM openly said “he would not let anyone hamper this public welfare project”.
The petitioner said when CM of a province would not take care of the sensitivity of the case and integrity of the High Court, then how would a common man understand the importance of the grace and decorum of the courts.
“The action and inactions of Shahbaz Sharif, prima facie, are a contempt of court within the meaning of Article 204 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973 read with Section 3 of the Contempt of Court Ordinance, 2003 for which punishment is provided under Section 5 of the Contempt of Court Ordinance, 2003 whereof,” the petition said.
Shehbaz Sharif, while addressing a seminar on OMT project held at Aiwan-i-Iqbal a few days ago had said that only a handful of elements were criticising the project of improvement in living standard of poor people and provision of facilities to the masses. He said that the interest of the people would be safeguarded at any cost.