ISLAMABAD: The man accused of carrying out a defamatory campaign against a judge of the Supreme Court has applied for post-arrest bail in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

Mohammad Rashid had displayed banners in Red Zone inscribed with remarks against Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja.

IHC Justice Noorul Haq N. Qureshi took up the petition on Wednesday, but could not proceed as the counsel for the petitioner, advocate Ilyas Siddiqui, was preoccupied with a case in the Supreme Court and could not turn up.

The accused in the petition claimed that the police had booked him under bailable offences.

In a report submitted to the Supreme Court, the police said they had recovered defamatory banners from Rashid near Kashmir Chowk picket. As the banners were folded, the policemen did not check their content.

The police also maintained that “as far as the inability of police/CDA to prevent display of banners is concerned, it is submitted that police officials are deployed at nakas, or pickets, to check criminals and terrorists, hence their focus essentially remains on checking explosives, arms, narcotics and other illegal items.”

The banners carrying remarks against Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja propped up in Red Zone in May when the Supreme Court was hearing a case against Geo TV.

According to the police challan, Mohammad Rashid in his confessional statement had stated that he was offended by the telecast of ‘blasphemous content’ on Geo TV and felt frustrated when no action was taken.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2014