Contempt plea against Maryam filed with LHC

LAHORE: A writ petition was filed in the Lahore High Court on Monday seeking contempt proceedings against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Senior Vice-President Maryam Nawaz for contemptuous remarks against the judiciary during a speech.

Petitioner Muhammad Shahid argued in his petition that on February 23, the PMLN leader had delivered her speech, which was broadcasted by many Pakistani television channels. He said that Maryam in her speech had alleged that “a group of five is responsible for this plight of Pakistan, namely Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed, Justice Mazahir Naqvi, Justice Ijazul Hassan, [former Chief Justice] Saqib Nisar, and Justice (retd) Azmat Saeed.” Maryam also claimed that PTI chief Imran Khan was thrown in the “garbage bin,” but that “judges were picking him up,” according to the petitioner. The petitioner quoted further from Maryam’s speech, in which she had said that “when the establishment realised that Imran was “Fitna” and “Intishar” and washed its hands of him, “these judges took it upon themselves not only to save him but to pave the way for his return to power as well.”

The petitioner contended that Maryam scandalised the superior court before the whole country and committed several contempt offences. He implored the court to summon Maryam and initiate contempt proceedings against her.