Handcuff those who don’t appear before court: SC

LAHORE: Supreme Court (SC) Judge Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed observed on Saturday that they would not let the court verdicts become joke and would remove the misunderstanding in a way that they would not even think again of not following the court orders. Justice Azmat Saeed said this while hearing a case pertaining to inadvertently border crossing of Indian prisoners

The Supreme Court severely lamented the attitude of Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain and Federal Information Secretary Shafqat Jalil after observing that the court’s directives were not followed in the case.

Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed directed immediately sending the copy of the order to Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry.

Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed said if the court orders are not implemented till the next hearing, information minister will be summoned in the court and federal information secretary will have to be presented before court in handcuffs.

Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed said that now the government should become serious and if the government does not show seriousness, they will tell how proceedings under the law are moved forward.

Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed inquired why advertisement was not issued despite the orders of the court and asked if Fawad Chaudhary and information secretary consider themselves above the law.

Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed remarked adding that officials of information ministry might have certain misconceptions and they should be informed about consequences for not complying with the orders of the court.

Their misconception will be removed in such a way that they will not even think of defying court orders, he said.

The review board headed by Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed on the last hearing had directed the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to issue the advertisement regarding the deaf and dump Indian prisoner present in the Kot Lakhpat Jail.

According to a private TV channel, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed presided over the hearing of the case at the Supreme Court of Pakistan Lahore Registry on Saturday.

The court was informed that information ministry did not implement the court order and also did not issue the advertisement. Upon this Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed miffed over the attitude of Fawad Chaudhry and Secretary Information Shafqat Jalil and remarked that whether governments run like this and whether court had to issue orders for information secretary’s arrest. Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed said that the information secretary should appear in personal capacity on the next hearing of the case. Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed remarked if information secretary did not appear before the court then he should be presented before court in handcuffs.