IHC initiates contempt proceedings on Justice Kayani’s letter

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has initiated contempt proceedings on the receipt of a reference/letter sent under Section 11 of the Contempt of Court Ordinance, 2003, by senior IHC puisne judge Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani.

In a written order, a three-member larger bench comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, Justice Miangul Hassan Augranzeb and Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, on the basis of the reference and assertions made therein, issued notices to Waqas Malik advocate, journalist Matiullah Jan and anchorperson Talat Hussain.

The court also issued notices to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority. It directed the referred persons to file their replies to the assertions made in the reference so as to reach the court on the next date of the hearing.

The bench directed Pemra to prepare the transcript of the Waqas Malik’s interview and submit it to the court before the next hearing.

It also appointed senior anchorperson Hamid Mir, president of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, and senior advocates Ahmed Bilal Soofi and Syed Ahmed Hassan as amici curiae in the case. The court directed the office to fix the case on May 30.