ISLAMABAD: The Registrar Office of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has put on hold the processing of the contempt of court notices issued to the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his cabinet members as the dealing staff decided to ascertain its validity first.

IHC Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan on July 21 issued the contempt of court notice to the entire federal government, including the prime minister and all ministers, for refusing to file amicus brief to support Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s case in the US.

Interestingly, the order was signed in ‘unsanctioned hearing’ as Justice Ejaz Ishaq was not among the duty roster approved by the Chief Justice Sardar Mohammad Sarfraz Dogar since he was on five weeks’ leave with effect from July 20.

Justice Khan on the other hand accused the chief justice’s office of deliberately sabotaging his judicial authority by refusing to amend the weekly roster.

The registrar’s office starts processing such notices following receipt of file from the court concerned.

In this particular case, the process to send the contempt of court notice is still on hold, as a senior official linked the service of the notices with the approval of the competent authority.

According to him, since the hearing was not conducted as per routine practice, the cause list was not issued by the judicial branch, the roster of duty of the judges was not amended and technically, the case was heard when the judge was on leave and, therefore, the dealing officials need clarity.

Justice Khan on July 21 had directed the IHC registrar to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the prime minister and all federal ministers, holding them collectively responsible for the government’s failure to justify its refusal to support Dr Fowzia Siddiqui’s legal efforts in the US.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2025