LAHORE: A third larger bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) hearing the clubbed contempt of court petitions against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and other Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders dissolved after a judge recused himself from hearing the matter on Friday.
On April 4, LHC Chief Justice Yawar Ali constituted the three-judge bench, headed by Justice Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi and comprising Justice Shahid Jameel Khan and Justice Aatir Mehmood, to hear the petitions.
Justice Shahid Jameel Khan declined to hear the matter on Friday citing personal reasons.
On April 2, a full bench of the LHC hearing the clubbed contempt of court petitions was dissolved after a judge recused himself from the hearing.
Justice Shahid Mobeen recused himself from the hearing.
The bench was headed by Justice Mazhar Ali Akbar Naqvi and comprised Justice Mobeen and Justice Aatir Mehmood.
On Saturday, LHC Chief Justice Yawar Ali formed a new full bench after Justice Shahid Bilal Hasan, who was previously a member of the bench, recused himself and was transferred to the Multan bench.
The petitioners have argued that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership has been making ‘anti-judiciary’ speeches since the verdict of Nawaz’s disqualification in the Panama Papers case last year.
The petitioners seek a ban on anti-judiciary speeches.
They said the regulatory body had so far failed to take any action to stop the airing of the speeches despite high court orders in this regard.
The petitioners pleaded with the court to initiate contempt of court proceedings against Sharif and his daughter and restrain them from maligning the judiciary.
Earlier, the court had issued a notice to Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to submit comments, explaining the measures it has taken to stop the airing of anti-judiciary speeches by the duo.