ISLAMABAD, Jan 13: Secretary-general of the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) Zafar Iqbal Jhagra on Saturday filed a contempt of court petition in the Supreme Court against Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz for his statement that the government did not intend to decrease oil prices.

Talking to Dawn, Mr Jhagra said he had already filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the government’s decision of not decreasing oil prices despite a slump in international market and the court had fixed Jan 16 as the date of hearing.

Mr Jhagra, who is also the secretary-general of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD), said that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in a statement on Dec 19, had categorically stated that the government would not bring the oil prices down despite fall in its international prices.

He said the contempt petition had been filed as he believed that the prime minister had issued the statement in an effort to influence the judiciary. Mr Jhagra said the contempt petition had been filed by him through Mohammad Ikram Chaudhry, Advocate. He expressed the hope that the SC would take appropriate action on the petition.