KARACHI, May 31: The Karachi Bar Association moved a petition on Thursday for the prosecution of Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim for contempt of court by the seven-member Sindh High Court bench conducting a suo motu inquiry into the May 12 siege of the court premises.

The bench, headed by Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany, is due to resume its proceedings on Friday morning. Chief Secretary Shakeel Durrani, Home Secretary Ghulam M. Mohatram Naqvi, Provincial Police Officer Niaz A. Siddiqui, Capital City Police Officer Azhar A. Farooqui and Saddar Town Police Officer Tahir Naveed were asked on May 26 to file their comments. Aggrieved lawyers were told to submit their affidavits through their respective bar associations.

Another contempt petition was moved by the International Human Rights Organization (IHRO), the panel that obtained on May 11 the ‘foolproof’ security order for Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, through Advocates Shafqat Shah Masoomi and Obaidullah Awan. Cited as respondents are Federal Interior Secretary Syed Kamal Shah, the chief secretary, the home secretary, the PPO and the CCPO. An identical petition filed by Sindh High Bar Association (SHCBA) President Abrar Hasan and three other bar representatives is already pending before a division bench composed of Justices Anwar Zaheer Jamali and Mohammad Athar Saeed.

Another petition transferred by the Sukkur circuit bench comprising Justices Zia Pervez and Nadeem Azhar Siddiqui to the principal seat calls for a ban on the Muttahida Qaumi Movement for indulging in terrorism and trial of its key leaders.

KBA President Iftikhar Javed Qazi alleged in his petition that the CM reacted in a contemptuous manner to the SHC decision to initiate suo motu proceedings into the May 12 incidents. He (the CM) has challenged the authority of the court with the intention of obstructing the process of law and it merits prosecution for contempt.

Recalling the May 11 order and the May 12 occurrences, the IHRO petition said Justice Iftikhar was effectively barred from addressing the SHCBA function and the officers responsible should be tried for contempt. An identical petition moved by Advocate Iqbal Kazmi was on Wednesday assigned to the seven-member bench.

The bench consists of Justices S.J. Osmany, A.Z. Jamali, Mushir Alam, Azizullah M. Memon, Khilji Arif Hussain, Maqbool Baqar and Ali Sain Dino Metlo. Advocate-General Masood Noorani, Additional Advocate-General Sarwar Khan and Assistant Advocate-General Agha Zaffir Ali are appearing for the provincial government. Advocates Khalid Anwer and Qazi Faez Isa are to assist the bench as amici curiae.