IHC to launch contempt proceedings on social media campaign against Justice Babar Sattar

• A bench is likely to be constituted today, say sources. 
• Justice Sattar wrote letter to IHC CJ against campaign.
• Campaign claims Justice Sattar holds US citizenship. 

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has decided to initiate contempt of court proceedings against those running a campaign on social media targetting Justice Babar Sattar, The News reported Tuesday citing sources. 

The development comes after Justice Sattar wrote a letter to IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq pertaining to the propaganda being run against him on social media. 

According to the sources, the high court has decided to convert the letter into a contempt of court case after assigning it a diary number. They added that the bench is likely to be constituted today. 

A social media campaign was launched against Justice Sattar claiming that the high court judge holds American citizenship. However, the IHC in a press release on April 28 refuted the claims. 

The high court said that Justice Sattar does not hold any other citizenship except for Pakistan's. It added that a "defamatory and baseless" campaign was being run against Justice Sattar on social media.

“Justice Babar Sattar’s wife and children are citizens of Pakistan and the US. They were living in the US till 2021, but returned to Pakistan after Justice Babar Sattar was appointed as a judge of the IHC and now live in Islamabad.”

The IHC, in its press release, said that Justice Sattar's confidential information is being posted and reposted online. It further said that the judge's wife and children's travel documents were also uploaded online.

Details provided in tax returns regarding his properties were also being posted on social media with false and malignant allegations, it said. 

Despite the clarification press release issued by the high court, the campaign on social media has not stopped. Therefore, a decision has been made to take action against the responsible parties for contempt of court.

Justice Sattar is one of the six IHC judges who have complained of interference in judicial affairs by the country's spy agencies.