Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar Wednesday ordered authorities concerned to present former senator Faisal Raza Abidi before the apex court at the next hearing.
Hearing a contempt case against Abidi, a three-member bench of Supreme Court headed by the CJP remarked: “Faisal Raza Abidi should be brought before the court at the next hearing”.
On Tuesday, the apex court issued a notice to Abidi over his alleged use of derogatory language against the judiciary on a private television channel a few days ago.
Reprimanding the lawyer of the private television channel for airing such contemptuous content, Chief Justice Nisar remarked: “The private television channel should be ashamed. Is this what freedom of expression entails? Had the channel not seen the programme before the show was aired?”
Responding to this, the lawyer of the private channel shared that the channel accepts its fault for airing the content. “If it were your fault then you should submit a reply in the court,” the chief justice remarked.
The lawyer said that the channel had issued an official apology, adding that the anchorperson of the show had been fired.
Over this, the CJP observed: “Is this how you apologise? You do a programme and then apologise. We don’t accept your apology.”
In 2014, former Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senator Faisal Raza Abidi announced his resignation from the Upper House. He had also served as the PPP Karachi president but later stepped down from the post.
The court adjourned the case hearing till May 3.
Published in Daily Times, April 19th 2018.
