PESHAWAR, Oct 25: A full bench of Supreme Court here on Friday dropped contempt-of-court charges against the provincial secretary education, Amjid Shahid Afridi, after his unconditional apology.

The bench comprising Justice Mian Muhammad Ajmal, Justice Tanveer Ahmad and Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan reprimanded the secretary not to repeat the same mistake otherwise he will not be spared next time.

The court had earlier issued his arrest warrants after he did not present himself before the court despite repeated notices. In his written reply to the court’s notice, he had stated that he would never appear before the court as he would not allow anyone, including the judges, to insult him.

The state was represented by the NWFP Advocate-General, Barrister Jehanzeb Raheem and additional Advocate-General, Mussarat Hillali. When the bench assembled on Friday to hear the case, the AG informed the court that the alleged accused was present in the court room and had tendered an unconditional apology. He added that the accused had placed himself at the mercy of the court.

The bench observed that when the accused had adopted such  a harsh posture towards the apex court how would he treat ordinary people. In his apology, he stated that he did not mean to ridicule the court. He added that the concerned record required by the court was lost during shifting of offices in connection with the devolution of power.

The bench directed him that he would be spared on the condition that he maintains the entire record and produces it at the next hearing; date for which would be fixed later.

The court asked the secretary that when he was visiting the court premises why did he not appear before the court. The secretary remained silent throughout the proceedings. The bench asked him to tender an apology to the advocate-general as he too had been insulted. In his apology to the advocate-general, the AG requested the court that he be pardoned.

The court had directed the secretary to appear last Friday in a leave to appeal petition filed by an employee of the education department, Muhammad Ali Shah, challenging an order of the NWFP services tribunal. As after a repeated order the concerned officers did not produce the relevant record the court had summoned the secretary.

However, the secretary did not turn up last Friday, following which the court issued a contempt-of-court notice to him with the direction to appear on Monday. Last Monday, the bench issued his arrest warrants and directed the NWFP chief secretary to produce him before the court.