LHC CJ forms new bench to hear Nawaz, Maryam’s contempt case

LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Yawar Ali on Saturday formed a new full bench to hear the contempt of court case against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz under the leadership of Justice Mazhar Ali Akbar Naqvi.

The new bench also includes Justice Shahid Mobeen and Justice Atir Mehmood.

Justice Shahid Bilal Hasan, who was previously a member of the bench, has been transferred to the Multan bench.

The previous bench was formed on March 19 to hear petitions against the anti-judiciary speeches of Sharifs and other Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leaders.

Similarly, on Friday, a three-member Supreme Court (SC) bench headed by Justice Nisar was formed to hear a contempt of court petition against former premier Nawaz Sharif on April 4.

In December last year, ousted premier Nawaz Sharif announced a campaign against what he called the “double standards” of the judiciary.

Nawaz Sharif announced the anti-judiciary drive after the top court gave a clean chit to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan but disqualified general secretary Jahangir Tareen on constitutional petitions filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hanif Abbasi.