SC reserves verdict in Daniyal contempt case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved the judgement in contempt of court case against Federal Minister for Privatisation Daniyal Aziz after the prosecution as well as defence counsel concluded their arguments.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, heard the contempt of court case against Federal Minister for Privatisation Daniyal Aziz. The court had indicted the federal; minister for privatisation in the contempt case over his “controversial speeches and statements made during television shows”.

Appearing on notice, Additional Attorney General and Prosecutor Waqar Rana, while arguing before the court, submitted that this is the case where the administration of justice is under attack, adding that the Constitution clearly protects the dignity of judiciary. The learned prosecutor contended that the contemnor Daniyal Aziz had termed ‘scripted’ Imran Khan’s acquittal and Jahangir Tareen’s disqualification by the apex court and stated that the monitoring judge of the Supreme Court orchestrated the corruption references against Nawaz Sharif and his family.

He said that the federal minister for privatisation did not disown his comments adding that the contemnor had attacked both at the judgement and judge of the apex court. He recalled that they have produced two witnesses in the instant case: one, he said was Haji Adam Khan, DG Monitoring, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and the other is a reporter of an Urdu daily.

He contended that the statements given by the contemnor is a sheer contempt of court, and he has undermined the integrity and dignity of the judiciary. As a prosecutor, I would say that it is a matter between your lordship and the contemnor, Waqar Rana concluded.

Meanwhile, Ali Raza, counsel for Daniyal Aziz, while defending his client, contended that Daniyal Aziz has great respect and regards for judiciary adding that his client had never intended to malign the judiciary but had made a long struggle for the independence of judiciary .

Referring to one of the charges framed in the contempt case, the learned counsel submitted that his client (Daniyal Aziz ) was referring to a ‘script’ mentioned by Javed Hashmi in January 2017 which stated that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will topple the PML-N government with the assistance of disgruntled elements of establishment.

Ali Raza contended that Daniyal Aziz being a member of a political party, admittedly in his statements criticised the judgements of the court, adding that as a public representative, he is required to make speeches in the interest of public

At this Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed observed that none of the charges framed against the contemnor relates to criticism of court’s judgements but relates to comments passed on a judge. Justice Sheikh recalled that he wrote and still he believes that anyone can give fair or unfair comment on verdict.

Ali Raza, however, submitted that his client has great respect for the judiciary and has not committed contempt of court. Meanwhile, Daniyal Aziz also submitted before the court that he has great respect for the supremacy of the constitution and judiciary adding that he has a long history of his struggle for the independence of judiciary. Later, the court reserved the judgement .