Justice Jawad S Khawaja on Friday rescued himself from the anti-judiciary banners case.
A two-member bench of the SC led by Justice Khawaja and comprising Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan took up a petition filed by Advocate Tausif Asif against a private news channel anchorperson Mubasher Lucman, Intelligence Bureau (IB) director general (DG)and interior secretary in the anti-judiciary banners case.
Justice Khawaja ordered that the aforesaid petition be fixed for hearing with a special SC bench which does not include him. People try to influence the judges illegally due to cases, he said. He said that in the banners case, an order has already been given as to why action was not taken against the accused when he had been identified.
“The words inscribed on the banners are harmless. Our concern is how such things were placed against the judiciary in the federal capital, particularly in the Red Zone which is the safest place in Islamabad,” he said.
Justice Afzal said that though anti-judiciary actions are a matter of concern, the law and constitution will take its course.
The petitioner told the court that families of the labourers who were arrested and against whom the case was registered had come to him and requested him to get their wards released.
Asif and Ahsanud Din Sheikh told the court that the anti-judiciary campaign is not restricted to Islamabad but it is present at all major highways, GT Road, Sadar areas and district courts, adding that “we cannot sleep the whole night” long after watching a certain private news channel’s program.
Justice Khawaja said that the real issue is of the superior judiciary, adding that the chief justice of Pakistan will now fix a bench for hearing of this case and Justice Khawaja will not be a part of the bench.
The hearing of the case was adjourned till June 23.
It may be mentioned that SC has already constituted a special bench comprising Justice Ejaz Khan, Justice Ejaz Chaudhry and Justice Mashir Alam to hear the petition filed against the anchorperson of a private news channel on June 23.
Meanwhile, the SC has sought a progress report from Islamabad Inspector General (IG) and interior secretary till June 25 in the case of placement of anti-judiciary banners and posters.
Justice Khawaja said that how could anyone display so many anti-judiciary banners when there is a security camera on every pole in Islamabad.
He ordered the interior secretary and IG Islamabad to “tell us who these Farzandan-e-Islamabad are”.
The attorney general said that the mastermind behind the campaign is being traced.
He observed that a column had been written and his name had been splashed in such way as if he was responsible for the entire matter.
Justice Khan said that “it seems from your report as if only two painters were responsible for the whole matter. Investigation is being conducted but those found responsible are not being located”.
The deputy AG (DAG) appeared before the court and requested that the hearing be adjourned as the AG was in Lahore.
The court observed that the matter is important so a progress report be presented on the next hearing before adjourning the case till June 25.
