LHC dismisses contempt plea against Nawaz

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday dismissed a contempt petition against ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif for using objectionable language against the Supreme Court judges during his rally from Islamabad to Lahore. 

At the outset of the hearing, a deputy attorney general representing the Federation told the court that the petition is not maintainable as a contempt petition could not be filed in the LHC for contempt of the Supreme Court judges. 

Amina Malik of Civil Society Network filed the petition through her counsel Azhar Siddique and submitted that Nawaz Sharif during the GT Road rally made anti-judiciary speeches over the Panama Papers verdict against him and his family members. 

She alleged that the former premier tried to defame superior judiciary and scandalised the institution. He (Nawaz) also tried to prejudice the matters pending before the National Accountability Bureau’s authorities whose proceedings were to be supervised by a Supreme Court judge, she added. 

The petitioner further said Nawaz had committed contempt of court and sedition. She requested the court to initiate contempt proceedings against him and others. After hearing both sides, the court dismissed the petition for not being maintainable.