SC orders police to arrest Faisal Raza Abidi

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday directed the police to arrest former senator Faisal Raza Abidi and produce him before the court after issuing contempt notices to the management of a private news channel and Abidi.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar resumed hearing in a contempt of court case against Abidi. During the hearing, the chief justice took a strong exception to non-appearance of Abidi and inquired as to why he did not appear before the court. The court also took a strong exception to the private news channel for airing the former senator's programme.

The counsel for the channel submitted that they have already expressed regrets. “Is this the freedom of expression?” the chief justice asked. The counsel informed the court that the management of the TV channel has already fired the anchor of the programme. The chief justice asked why the management did not first review the programme before telecasting it. He said the management apologised after airing the programme, but we are not accepting it.

The chief executive of the channel also appeared before the court and admitted that broadcasting the programme was a mistake. The court asked the management to submit a reply in the contempt notice. The court directed the police to arrest Abidi and produce him before the court and adjourned the hearing till May 3.

The court had taken suo motu notice of derogatory language used against the judiciary by Abidi during a programme telecast by the channel and had issued a notice to the former senator and management of the channel.

Similarly, taking notice of the said programme, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority banned the said programme for three months, besides imposing a fine of Rs1 million. Likewise, the Pemra had also directed the management of the channel to air apology, with the warning that any violation of the order will result into the suspension of the

channel’s licence.