Ex-CJ submits reasons for seeking contempt case record

Published August 8, 2014
Former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. — File photo
Former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. — File photo

ISLAMABAD: Former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry submitted to the Supreme Court on Thursday detail reasons for seeking the official record of last year’s contempt case against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan to be used as documentary evidence in support of a defamation case which he intended to file against the latter.

The paper submitted by his counsel Advocate Sheikh Ahsanuddin under Order 9 of Rule 2 of the Supreme Court Rules 1980 pleaded that in view of the reasons given and for a good cause the petitioner be provided attested copies of the documents.

Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry had sent a defamation notice of Rs20 billion to Imran Khan on July 24.

Also read: Iftikhar Chaudhry sends Rs20 billion libel notice to Imran Khan

On Wednesday, the SC registrar had asked the counsel to explain why his client needed the official record of the contempt case after the court office had on August 4 rejected his request for access to it on the grounds that he was not an aggrieved party in the matter and, therefore, not permitted to obtain the documents.

Contempt proceedings were initiated against Mr Khan after Justice Chaudhry objected to the ‘derogatory remarks’ made by the former about the judiciary and superior court judges at a press conference on July 26 last year. The PTI chief had described the role of the judiciary and the Election Commission as “sharamnak” (shameful) and alleged that the 2013 general elections were rigged by the two institutions.

Counsel Ahsanuddin said that after the expiry of the 14-day notice in the defamation case on Friday, the former chief justice would file a suit for damages and the documents were being sought because paragraph 19 of the notice also referred to the contempt case.

The counsel later told Dawn that it was not necessary that the defamation suit would be filed in a court soon after the expiry of the notice. It can be moved any time but not later than six months. He said the defamation suit would be filed the moment all evidences were collected to make out a strong case.

In its verdict in the contempt case, the Supreme Court had observed that politicians were “expected to use more decent and guarded language and have to be more careful in the selection of words in public gathering or press conferences to show their intellect, majority of mind and wisdom qua respect to various national institutions and to present themselves as a role model for the society at large”.

It said Mr Khan had stated before the court that the “word Sharamnak attributed to him was never meant to abuse or show disrespect to anyone, even the district returning officers and returning officers”.

Mr Khan had even committed to the supremacy of the judiciary as an independent and highly respected institution and said that in future too there would be no occasion when this court would find him making derogatory or scandalous remarks against this institution, the judgment had said.

The former chief justice’s defamation notice had regretted that Mr Khan had again started using “indecent words” against the judiciary, DROs and ROs and accusing them of having been involved in the so-called rigging. “Now it is for you to decide whether you are a man of your words or just believe in loose tale,” the notice said.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2014

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.