SC indicts Daniyal in contempt case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday indicted Federal Minister for Privatization Daniyal Aziz in a contempt of court case related to contemptuous speeches against the apex court with special reference to Panama Papers case against former premier Nawaz Sharif.

A three-member bench headed by Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed hearing the case on last hearing had decided to frame charges against Daniyal after expressing dissatisfaction over his reply.

On Tuesday, Justice Mushir Alam read out the charge sheet to Daniyal who pleaded not guilty and said he would contest the case.

As per charge sheet, the federal minister obstructed the court proceedings, and brought hatred and scandal to the court in connection with three statements he delivered last year. “You committed contempt of court under Article 204, Section 3 of Contempt Ordinance 2003,” the court told Daniyal. The charge sheet further read that Daniyal gave controversial statements against Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan who is monitoring Panamagate proceedings. According to the charge sheet, Daniyal had alleged that a judge of the Supreme Court had prepared the corruption reference after summoning the NAB Lahore team. It further read that on December 15, 2017, Daniyal gave a statement, saying the punishment given to Jahangir Tareen by the court was meant to save Imran Khan and his party. Ali Raza, representing Daniyal, however, requested the court to give some time for filing a comprehensive reply.

Justice Azmat, however, held that the court would first record prosecution witness and directed Additional Attorney General Waqar Rana to produce evidence on the next date of hearing and adjourned further proceedings until March 26. Chief Justice Saqib Nisar had taken suo moto notice and a show-cause notice was issued to Daniyal Aziz on February 19.