Faisal Raza Abidi booked for ‘derogatory remarks’ against CJP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) leader Faisal Raza Abidi has landed himself in trouble again, this time for making “insulting and threatening” remarks against Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar. Police have registered a criminal case against Abidi.

According to police, Abidi made the remarks during an interview with a web-based platform Naya Pakistan, which was posted online on July 2.

In the interview, the former Senator called Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar a “traitor” because he took oath under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO).

“During the contempt of court case against me, I told this judge that he was a traitor because he took oath under PCO,” Abidi said in the interview, adding that he had also filed a reference against Chief Justice Saqib Nisar in the Supreme Judicial Council.

The FIR was registered at the Secretariat Police Station in Islamabad after the Supreme Court’s public relations officer Shahid Hussain submitted a complaint. Abidi has been booked for insulting, defaming and intimidating the judiciary.

It is pertinent to mention that Abidi’s feud with judiciary was not something new, as the former senator had repeatedly criticized the top judges on various forums in the past.

In similar cases, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Talal Chaudhry was disqualified for five years by the Supreme Court. Chaudhry was convicted of contempt of court and sentenced until the rising of the court. A fine of Rs100,000 was also imposed on him.

The apex court had also disqualified former minister and PML-N leader Daniyal Aziz for five years in contempt of court case. Aziz was convicted and sentenced under Article 204 of the Contempt of Court Ordinance, 2003, of the constitution. The verdict maintained that Daniyal Aziz humiliated the judiciary and judges.