ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday rejected an unconditional apology submitted by Maulvi Iftikhar-ud-Din Mirza for threatening Justice Isa and slandering the judiciary, and issued a contempt of court notice to him, reported Geo News.
A two-member bench, presided over by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, heard the case today in which the attorney general and the lawyer representing Iftikhar-ud-Din 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, terrorism and criminal charges can also 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 arguments sided with the court, 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.
CJP takes notice over derogatory video
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.