Islamabad (Web Desk): Former chief justice of Gilgit-Baltistan judge Rana Shamim has submitted his original affidavit in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in which he 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 controversial affidavit was presented in court a month after it was published in an investigative report in a leading daily.
IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah remarked that the sealed envelope will be opened at the next hearing as Attorney General did not appear before the court owing to his health issues. He was admitted to Agha Khan Hospital.
Justice Minallah said former GB CJ, Rana Shamim raised fingers at the judges of his court and added that IHC is not worried about the outcry. This is the matter of prestige of my court, not a contempt case hearing, Rana Shamim should present evidence to support his allegations, the IHC CJ said.
On December 13, the IHC had deferred the decision of framing of charges in a contempt of court case against Rana Shamim and others till December 20.
Earlier, the former GB judge’s counsel mentioned that his client had promised that he never leaked the affidavit. The court demanded evidence to be presented regarding the public opinion that was created after the news of the affidavit surfaced.
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 (PML-N) 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.
