Threats to Justice Isa: SC issues contempt of court notice to Iftikhar-ud-Din Mirza

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan turned down an unconditional apology submitted by Maulvi Iftikhar-ud-Din Mirza for threatening Justice Isa and slandering the judiciary, issuing a contempt of court notice to him on Thursday.

The two-member bench, presided over by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, heard the case today in which the attorney general and the lawyer representing Mirza appeared before the court.

Mirza’s lawyer told the court that his client has apologised unconditionally for using derogatory language to which Justice Ajaz-ul-Ahsan said that the court does not have a copy of the apology letter.

“The words which were used, can they be used (against judiciary)? How can we accept an apology in such a case?” he remarked, adding that the report has been filed with the Federal Investigation Agency.

Justice Ahsan said that according to the AG, the case terrorism and criminal charges can be included in the case, adding that there is no point in submitting a written apology.

During the case’s proceedings, the chief justice told Mirza's lawyer that his client should be sent to jail for six months. “You (lawyer) seem to be unaware of the seriousness of the case, you are taking it too lightly," he said. 

To which, the lawyer argued that his client is a heart patient and the court should take this into consideration.

“So what can we do? He (Mirza) should have kept his tongue in check, in this case there is nothing that can be done regarding mercy,” remarked the chief justice.

The attorney general in his remarks sided with the chief justice, saying that Mirza deliberately passed the comments by taking judges' names, so it cannot be an unintentional move.

“Iftikhar-ud-Din Mirza’s video was not made by a child, he has his own video channel and earns through it. Such a language is not even used on the streets,” remarked Justice Ahsan.

Also read: Threats to Justice Isa: SC expresses dissatisfaction with FIA

CJP takes notice over derogatory video against Justice Isa

On June 25, CJP Gulzar Ahmed had taken notice of a video clip containing derogatory and scandalous language against Justice Faez Isa case.

In the viral video, Mirza was seen giving threats to the Supreme Court judge.

The apex court had issued a statement that the chief justice had fixed the hearing of the case before Bench-1 in Islamabad.

The video contained derogatory, contemptuous and scandalous language against the institution of the judiciary and the honourable judges, read the statement.