SC says apology not unconditional, indicts ARY CEO, Lucman

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday indicted ARY News Chief Executive Salman Iqbal and anchor Mubashir Lucman in a contempt of court case for maligning the judiciary during a programme without any proof.

A three-member special bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and comprising Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry and Justice Mushir Alam, resumed hearing of a contempt of court case against ARY’s Salman Iqbal and Mubashir Lucman.

The court rejected the unconditional apologies of the two and framed charges of contempt against them for maligning the judiciary while airing a programme. The court directed the Attorney General for Pakistan Salman Aslam Butt to submit a list of witnesses within 15 days for prosecuting the two.

The court also directed both the respondents to submit their replies within seven days by answering the questions asked in the charge sheet. Last week, Irfan Qadir, counsel for the respondents in pursuance of the court’s order of December 12, 2014, had submitted an unconditional apology to the court stating that in the larger national and public interest, it was resolved by the respondents to seek an unconditional and unqualified apology for the unintended consequences from the apex court, so as to make it absolutely clear to all and sundry, including the apex court, that respect for the judiciary and its judges was dear to the respondents.

On Monday, the court observed that on the one hand the respondents sought an unconditional and unqualified apology and on the other hand they submitted that the apology was tendered for the unintended consequences. After rejecting the apology, the court farmed charges against them.