ISLAMABAD: A day after issuing a show-cause notice to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and State Minister Tallal Chaudhry over his contemptuous remarks against the judiciary, the Supreme Court on Wednesday directed another PML-N leader to submit his response in a similar case until Feb 19.
A three-judge bench, headed by Justice Azmat Saeed, took up the contempt of court case against Privatisation Minister Daniyal Aziz.
On Friday, the Supreme Court had issued a contempt of court notice to Aziz and directed him to appear on Wednesday, reportedly over his controversial speeches and statements made during various TV talk shows.
Appearing before the bench, Aziz said: “You sent the notice, I have presented myself”.
Justice Saeed asked Aziz if he needs time to finalise counsel, to which he responded: “Whatever you deem fit.”
Aziz was then given 10 days to finalise counsel and the hearing was adjourned until February 19.
Talking to the media before entering the court, Aziz said his whole life has been spent respecting the judiciary, adding that his hands and heart is clean.
It is pertinent to mention that following last year’s Panama Papers judgement in which Nawaz Sharif was disqualified, members of the ruling party, including Aziz — on a number of occasions — have launched unprecedented verbal attacks on the country’s judiciary, accusing it of having different standards for the former prime minister than for his opponents.
On Tuesday, Tallal Chaudhry appeared before the Supreme Court after having been issued a similar contempt notice.
The apex court had initiated contempt proceedings against Chaudhry on account of “derogatory and contemptuous speeches/statements” with regard to the honourable court.
Appearing in court, Chaudhry asked the bench, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, for three weeks to finalise legal representation.
The court gave the minister one week and issued him a show-cause notice.
The suo motu notices against the two federal ministers came on the heels of the Supreme Court verdict, sentencing Nehal Hashmi, a PML-N politician, to a month in prison and barring him from holding public office for the next five years as punishment for his contemptuous speech.