LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday sought arguments on the maintainability of a contempt of court petition against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for using derogatory remarks about judges.

Justice Muhammad Waheed Khan heard the petition filed by a woman, Ashba Kamran. The judge asked an additional attorney general to explain whether the petition was maintainable.

The law officer stated that the Supreme Court had also raised the same question the other day. He said the attorney general for Pakistan had clarified before the Supreme Court that the prime minister did not make these remarks about the current judges.

Asked whether a written order of the SC hearing had been issued, the federal government’s lawyer replied in the negative.

The judge adjourned the hearing for two weeks for arguments on the point of the petition’s maintainability.

The petitioner contended that PM Shehbaz Sharif referred to the judges as “black sheep” in one of his speeches. She said this statement undermines the integrity and independence of the judiciary.

She also sought action against the prime minister under the contempt of court law.

On May 28, speaking at a general council meeting of the PML-N in Lahore, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif deno­unced the “black sheep” in the judiciary who allegedly wanted to provide relief to former prime minister Imran Khan.

“There are some black sheep in the judiciary that are bent upon giving relief to Imran Khan. They are trying to save him from the 190 million pounds and other cases. Every day it is planned how to grant him bail in certain cases,” the PM said, adding that most judges, however, wanted Pakistan’s progress.

The prime minister further said that Nawaz Sharif was not given bail for a long time in the past but in the case of Imran Khan they (the judges) were giving cover to his “black deeds”.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2024