Politics of contempt notices
The only real surprise about this new contempt of court episode, really, is that it took its sweet time coming. Surely Nehal Hashmi, just like Talal Chaudhary and Daniyal Aziz, knew just what judicial protocols ‘scandalising the courts’ trigger, and exactly what consequences follow. And, especially after the Maryam and Nawaz Sharif’s posturing after Nehal’s verdict and notices to the other two, it is clear that PML-N was not just shooting itself in the foot by dragging the courts into its rallies. It was, rather, quite deliberately scandalising them to squeeze political mileage out of the resulting scandal, not least because general elections are around the corner.
There’s also that other sword hanging over their heads. Their NAB cases will come full circle sooner rather than later. And PML-N seems determined to fit any unfavourable decision into their spun up plot and conspiracy against the Sharifs. But has Nawaz – as he opens the Pandora’s Box of our past of military coups and judicial activism – factored in that his name will also spring up, in very compromising ways at times, as others too start talking? Also, his lament reeks of insincerity because at no time in his three stints, especially when he had outright majority, did he take much pains to reform the judiciary or hold dictators accountable. Nobody has forgotten, especially, how his government let Musharraf go.
There’s also much, sadly, for the honourable chief justice to consider. Nobody can deny that someone, anyone – even if it’ the CJ – taking note of people’s basic problems, and forcing the government machinery to do its job, is more than welcome. But His Lordship’s newfound liking for the public eye, on top of talking through his judgments, does not exactly leave the best after taste. If only he would look at his own back yard, he’d find need for reforms just like he’s ordered in government departments. The backlog goes back into decades and the judiciary, especially lower courts, is widely considered one of the country’s most corrupt institutions. Perhaps it is time all institutions look inwards and regain the people’s trust by reforming themselves.