SC accepts Tallal's request for digital record of contemptuous speech

ISLAMABAD: State Interior Minister Tallal Chaudry appeared before the Supreme Court on Tuesday in the contempt of court case against him. 

A three-judge bench headed by Supreme Court Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan hear the contempt case against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader.

The minister's counsel, Kamran Murtaza, said Chaudry has submitted his response to the show-cause notice by the court and asked to be provided with CDs of his client's 'anti-judiciary' speech. 

Justice Ejaz responded that a transcript of the speech has been provided, to which Murtaza argued that they still require a CD as it is a 'sensitive case'.

The court then ordered the additional attorney general to provide the minister with the relevant CD. 

The hearing was then adjourned for  March 8, and Chaudry was granted an exemption from appearing owing to a commitment. 

At the last hearing of the case on Feb 26, the case had been adjourned owing to Chaudry's lawyer's other commitments.

Moreover, the interior minister had requested the court on February 24 to withdraw the case, stating that scandalising the court or doing anything that tends to bring the court into ‘hatred, ridicule or contempt’ is ‘not even the last thing on the respondent’s mind.’

“Whatever has been said might have been taken into account without relevance to the context due to media reporting,” Chaudry had written in his initial response.