The Islamabad High Court has deferred the hearing of a contempt of court case against former chief justice of Gilgit-Baltistan Rana Shamim along with several journalists till January 20.
The Islamabad High Court decided in the last hearing to indict the former CJ Gilgit-Baltistan and others regarding the publication of an affidavit containing allegations against the former supreme court chief justice, Saqib Nisar.
The affidavit alleged that Nisar had attempted to influence a case against the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and daughter, Maryam Nawaz.
At the beginning of the proceedings today, the IHC heard journalist Ansar Abbasi’s plea over what he said was a clerical error in the order. Abbasi told the court the order had quoted him as saying that he would publish the affidavit’s claims in the public’s interest, even if wrong.
The IHC CJ replied that Abbasi himself had written that he was not aware if Shamim’s claim against Nisar was true or not. The journalist replied that he had adhered to journalistic principles and published Nisar’s reply along with Shamim’s claim.
Earlier, Reporters Without Borders and other journalist organizations had urged the IHC to halt the case against the journalists in question. The CJP replied that the court would decide the outcome of the case and no one could dictate the court.
Attorney General of Pakistan Khalid Jawed Khan said the case must not be affected regardless of whose fault it was. He suggested that the court must indict Rana Shamim, but he should be given a fair trial.
He also asked the court to delay the charge proceedings against the journalist. The court adjourned the case till January 20.
