Islamabad (Web Desk): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday deferred the decision of framing of charges in a contempt of court case against former chief justice of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Rana Shamim and others till December 20.
The former top judge of GB, in an affidavit that was published by a national newspaper, had accused former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar of colluding to deny bails to former premier and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz prior to the general elections 2018.
During today’s hearing, the court again directed Rana Shamim to submit the original affidavit.
Previously, the IHC had directed Rana Shamim to submit affidavit in hearings on November 30 and December 7.
On December 10, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, in a written order, had warned that charges would be framed if the maker of the affidavit, Shamim, the publisher and editor-in-chief of Jang Group Mir Shakeelur Rehman, senior journalist Ansar Abbasi and resident editor Amer Ghouri failed to show it was executed and published for bona fide purpose.
On November 15, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, under the Contempt of Court Ordinance, took notice of a news story, which quoting Rana Shamim’s affidavit, claimed that in 2018 Nisar influenced judicial proceedings to prolong the detention of former premier and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz following their conviction in the Avenfield apartments reference.
“Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz Sharif must remain in jail until the general elections are over. On assurances from the other side, he (Saqib Nisar) became calm and happily demanded another cup of tea,” this is what was said in the affidavit of the former top judge of GB talking about the then chief justice of Pakistan.