IHC adjourns hearing on contempt notices

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court’s division bench on Monday said that the court will issue detailed order regarding hearing on an intra-court appeal against contempt notices.

A division bench comprising Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro and Justice Azam Khan heard the ICA against the decision of a single bench in which show-cause notices were served on the petitioners in matter pertaining to the ECL. Justice Soomro remarked that the court will issue a detailed order for the hearing.

The Lawyer DG I&P argued that on March 26, the division bench had suspended the single bench’s order on the same day of its issuance. He said that the case was not scheduled in the single bench on the previous hearing, but a hearing was held. The division bench accepted the intra-court appeal for hearing, now it is up to it to decide the matter, he said.

The NAB prosecutor said that the Chief Justice was also surprised that if the case was not filed in the single bench, how was the order issued. Justice Soomro questioned that has there been any violation of the court order specifically in this writ? The lawyer said no, but when the DG Immigration appeared, he was asked questions.

Justice Soomro asked that if the Supreme Court decision is not implemented, can the high court take contempt of court proceedings? The lawyer said that the high court has extraordinary powers to initiate contempt proceedings.

He said that the single member bench has summoned the respondents on May 7, and prayed the court to suspend this order. Justice Soomro remarked that the case proceedings take place when there is a file of record, how can it be done without it. He said that the court would pass a detailed order regarding the hearing.