- Federal privatisation minister pleads not guilty
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday formally indicted Federal Privatisation Minister Daniyal Aziz in a case regarding anti-judiciary speeches.
A three-member bench, headed by Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and comprising Justices Mushir Alam and Mazhar Alam Miankhel, took up the case against the minister. The court indicted the minister under Article 204 and contempt of court law 2003.
The apex court remarked that the federal minister has ‘scandalised’ the judiciary, adding that Aziz intervened in court matters.
Justice Mushir Alam read the charge sheet for the accused minister, while Aziz rejected the allegations levelled against him.
At the last hearing, the bench expressed dissatisfaction over the reply submitted by the minister in the case and fixed his indictment for March 13.
Counsel for the minister contended that the media reports of his client’s ‘anti-judiciary’ speech were false.
In the response, the minister stated that being a lawmaker he could not even imagine of downgrading the state institution, adding that he respects all state institution, including the judiciary.
“Media ran my comments out of context,” the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader stated, besides asking the court to take back the show-cause notice against him.
On February 2, the apex court issued contempt of court notice to Daniyal Aziz over anti-judiciary speeches
