ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court on Tuesday granted interim bail to former senator Faisal Raza Abidi in a case pertaining to alleged defamation of judges.
Hearing the case on Tuesday, Judge Kausar Abbas Zaidi granted Abidi, who was present in court with his defence counsel, bail till October 11.
On September 21, Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) leader Faisal Raza Abidi was booked for making “insulting and threatening” remarks against Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar. Police had registered a criminal case against Abidi.
The case was registered under PPC sections 228, 500, 505(ii) and 34, as well as the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), in response to a complaint lodged by Supreme Court Public Relations Officer Shahid Hussain Kambyo. The FIR was lodged at the Secretariat Police Station in Islamabad.
According to police, Abidi had 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.
Abidi had 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.
