LHC issues notices to Nawaz, Maryam on contempt petition
Petitioner maintained that Nawaz and his daughter made anti-judiciary speeches in recent PML-N rally in Jaranwala
January 31, 2018
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, demanding their response on a contempt petition by Advocate Azhar Siddiqui.
In the petition, Siddiqui maintained that Nawaz and Maryam made anti-judiciary speeches in the recently held Pakistan Muslim League-N rally in Jaranwala, hence the court should initiate contempt of court proceedings against them.
While hearing the case, Justice Shahid Karim directed the petitioner to present evidence of contempt in the next hearing.
The petitioner has stated that Nawaz, Maryam and Sanaullah committed contempt of court in the public gathering and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulation Authority (PEMRA) allowed contemptuous remarks to run on news channels, hence action should be taken against them.
Meanwhile, on Jan 29, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) accepted for hearing a contempt of court petition against Nawaz and Maryam.
Other respondents in the case include PEMRA.
The petitioner claimed that the father-daughter duo uttered anti-judiciary remarks at a rally in Kot Momin and in Punjab House.
Speaking in Jarnwala, Nawaz said: "You elected me as the prime minister so how can someone else announce my ouster," he said, adding that whether his disqualification was for five years or life, no one could affect his relationship with the public.
"The public's decision will be the final decision."
"There is another petition in the court to get me removed from party presidentship, but will you accept such a decision?" he inquired from the rally participants.
Referring to his movement for the supremacy of justice, Nawaz said, "I speak about the movement of justice today, which will ensure that a person will not have to deal with cases against their grandfather."
The PML-N president also touched upon the reasons for his ouster, a recurring theme in his recent rallies.
"Is it a crime to not draw a salary from your son?" Nawaz questioned the attendees of the rally. "I was ousted because of this crime."
Nawaz was disqualified by the Supreme Court in its landmark July 28 judgment in the Panama Papers case.
Maryam Nawaz took the stage prior to Nawaz's address and implored the rally's attendees to rise up against the injustices in Pakistan. "Do you accept a Pakistan where the public’s vote has the lowest worth," questioned Maryam.
"Are you willing to accept a Pakistan in which an elected prime minister attends court summons, along with his daughter, but dictators such as Musharraf pay no heed to the court," she said.
