ISLAMABAD; The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday accepted the unconditional apology of former Senator Faisal Raza Abidi regarding his negative remarks against the judiciary.
A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed discharged the contempt notice after accepting the unconditional apology of former PPP Senator Faisal Raza Abdi for his negative remarks against the judiciary. The PPP former Senator who, is currently in Adiala Jial, Rawalpindi, the other day had submitted his unconditional apology before the Supreme Court and had promised that he would not repeat the grievous mistake.
The court after accepting his unconditional apology discharged the contempt notice with the ruling that the instant apology will not affect the pending cases against Abdi including the one being adjudicated upon by an anti-terrorism court.
It is pertinent to mention here that an anti-terrorism court the other day indicted Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Faisal Raza Abidi in a contempt of court case. Abidi was produced before the court in connection with a hearing regarding an interview in which he used "highly insulting and inappropriate language" against Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar, as mentioned in a first information report (FIR) filed against him prior to his arrest.
On October 10, Mr Abidi was arrested outside Supreme Court after he appeared before it in a suo motu case regarding his negative remarks against the judiciary. A two-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed had heard the case. During the hearing, the former senator had sought adjournment till his counsel returns from Umra, or to grant him time to hire a new counsel. The court after accepting his request had adjourned the hearing till October 30, and issued notice to the Attorney General.
Later, Abidi was arrested by officials of the Secretariat Police Station outside the Supreme Court. According to sources, a case was registered on Tuesday night against Abidi which included charges of defamation. On September 21, a case was registered against the former senator for using inappropriate language for the Chief Justice of Pakistan. The complaint was registered by the apex court's Public Relations Officer Shahid Hussain in the Secretariat Police Station under Pakistan Penal Code's sections 228, 500, 505(ii) and 34 along with Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). The former senator was arrested on October 10 after he appeared before the Supreme Court's two-judge bench in the case. The former senator denied the charges, after which the court ordered prosecutors to present witnesses in the next hearing.
On December 17, Faisal Raza Abdi submitted unconditional apology before the Supreme Court in a suo motu case regarding his negative remarks against the judiciary and promised that he will not repeat the grievous mistake.
He had filed and application before the Supreme Court under Article 5 of the constitution read with Order XXXIII Rule 1 and 6 of the Supreme Court Rules 1980 for tendering unconditional apology. The applicant has no logic, reason or argument to defend his uncalled for conduct and remarks against the Chief Justice of Pakistan, “I, Faisal Raza Abidi, hereby tender unconditional apology and beg forgiveness from the apex court and promise that in future I will not repeat the grievous mistake,” Fiasal Abidi submitted.
He further submitted that he fully understood that no state could be called civilized unless the citizen of that state respect their constitutional institutions and in particular the judiciary and judges.
“I full understand that the loyalty to state and obedience to the constitution is the inviolable obligation of every citizen under Article 5 of the Constitution, therefore, I once again submit my unconditional apology and leave the fate of titled contempt proceedings at the mercy of the Supreme Court Chief Justice of Pakistan”, Abidi submitted.
The PPP former Senator prayed to the apex court to pardon him from the titled suo motu contempt proceedings.
He stated that earlier he had submitted an unconditional apology before the Supreme Court from Adiala Jial but the same was returned to him.
