Athar Minallah, Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court, read the charge sheet against Rana Shamim. The indictment now includes the affidavit provided by the former GB’s top judge.
Meanwhile, the Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court has postponed the indictment of Mir Shakeel-ur-Rehman, Ansar Abbasi, and Amir Ghauri, as well as the case’s subsequent proceedings, until February 15.
It should be mentioned that the AGP had asked the court to postpone the journalists’ indictment in the case.
Earlier in today’s session, Rana Shamim’s lawyer asked the court for extra time in the contempt case.
Former Chief Justice of Gilgit-Baltistan, Attorney General Khalid Javed, and Advocate General Islamabad Niazullah Niazi In the courtroom, Mir Shakeel-ur-Rehman, Ansar Abbasi, Rana Shamim, and Amir Ghauri appeared.
At 11 a.m., Rana Shamim, Mir Shakeel, Amir Ghauri, and Ansar Abbasi will be indicted in a contempt of court case, according to the court.
Rana Shamim was summoned to the rostrum by the chief justice for indictment. Former Chief Justice Gilgit-Baltistan responded by requesting that the court afford him time and allow his lawyer to arrive at the court.
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Due to the absence of former Chief Justice Gilgit-Baltistan lawyer, the court deferred the hearing and announced that Rana Shamim, Mir Shakeel, Amir Ghauri, and Ansar Abbasi would be indicted at 11 a.m.
Following the restart of court proceedings, the assistant of former Chief Justice Gilgit-Baltistan lawyer Latif Afridi requested more time, to which Chief Justice Minallah responded that this court should be respected.
The court should allow time, according to journalist Afzal Butt, because we had no notion how to report on cases that were under investigation. The court had been slandered by a publication and an article, according to the top justice.
The court wanted to know whether anyone had any issues with this particular court. The constitutional court has turned into a farce, the CJ observed.
The President of the High Court Journalists Association pleaded with the journalists to be patient, explaining that they were unable to focus on the issue at hand.
The people’s trust must also be rebuilt, according to Chief Justice Athar Minallah.
It is also impossible to give the plaintiff a free hand to disrespect the court, according to Justice Athar Minallah. You are unaware that an attempt has been made to sway the outcome of the ongoing case. This court supports and encourages open accountability.
It may be recalled that former Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice retired Saqib Nisar had allegedly advised the Islamabad High Court not to give bail to former Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif and his daughter before the 2018 general elections.