ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday asked Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Dr Shireen Mazari’s counsel to present an argument on the maintainability of a petition filed against Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif.

Justice Athar Minallah heard Dr Mazari’s petition against Mr Asif for using un-parliamentary language against her on the floor of the National Assembly.

During the hearing on Thursday, Justice Minallah directed the petitioner’s counsel to argue on the maintainability of the petition at the next hearing.

Dr Mazari’s counsel, Shoaib Razzaq, argued that the case was a matter of defamation, and his client was personally targeted by the minister.

In her petition Dr Mazari alleged that Mr Asif used un-parliamentary language against her during a National Assembly session on June 8, and asked the court to direct the National Assembly speaker to forward a reference to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the minister’s disqualification.

The petition cited the law ministry, the National Assembly speaker, the parliamentary affairs minister and Mr Asif as respondents.

The IHC registrar office had earlier objected to the petition, saying the court could not take up a matter related to National Assembly proceedings. However, Mr Razzaq argued that this was a case of defamation, and upon hearing his arguments, the IHC bench removed the objections and ordered that the matter be fixed for hearing.

Dr Mazari stated in the petition that Mr Asif’s remarks were televised and watched around the world by millions of people, and were still available on social media.

She said the comments were wholly discriminatory and bigoted, as she was singled out based on her gender, and were a malicious attempt to disparage her well-earned reputation.

The petitioner said that Mr Asif’s remarks were criminal in nature, under section 500 of the Pakistan Penal Code, and verbally harassed her, thereby creating a hostile working environment under the Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act 2010.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2016