Remarks about court verdict against Musharraf: Fawad, Firdous Ashiq tender apology in PHC

PESHAWAR: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry and Firdous Ashiq Awan on Wednesday tendered unconditional apology in the Peshawar High Court (PHC) for their contemptuous remarks at a press conference after the verdict of the special court that had awarded death sentence to former president General (R) Pervez Musharraf for imposing emergency in the country.

The PHC bench comprising Justice Roohul Amin and Justice Arshad Ali accepted the apology of the two PTI leaders who had appeared personally before the court. Justice Roohul Amin observed that the PTI leaders should visit the grave of former chief justice of the Peshawar High Court, late Seth Waqar Ahmad, as a gesture of respect.

Justice Seth Waqar was the head of the bench that had handed the death sentence to the former president in a December 2019 verdict for imposing an emergency in the country. He died in November 2020 while serving as the chief justice of the PHC and was laid to rest outside Sarki Gate in Peshawar city.

Two lawyers, Malik Mohammad Ajmal and Azizuddin Kakakhel, had filed a writ petition in the PHC. They had stated that Federal Minister for Law Farogh Naseem, Fawad Chaudhry, Firdous Ashiq Awan and Shahzad Akbar had made contemptuous remarks at a press conference after the verdict against former military ruler Pervez Musharraf.

The petitioners had said the cabinet members had committed a contempt of court by making such remarks about the verdict. The PHC had earlier exempted other cabinet members after they personally appeared and apologized but issued notices to Fawad Chaudhry and Firdous Ashiq Awan. The division bench had directed that those who committed contempt of court should appear personally.