ISLAMABAD: Taking suo motu notice Malik Riaz’s press briefing, the Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a show cause notice to the real estate tycoon, asking him to appear before the court on Thursday, DawnNews reported.

A three-member bench of the SC’s senior most judges, headed by Justice Shakirullah Jan, was hearing the suo motu case pertaining to the business tycoon’s Tuesday press conference.

Justice Shakirulah Jan read out the text of Riaz’s press briefing in court and said that it appeared as if the judiciary was being scandalised.

Justice Shakirullah said that Riaz had ridiculed the court with the press conference and could be held in contempt of court.

The show cause notice issued to Riaz also said that he had made an attempt to obstruct justice.

The SC had earlier summoned the record of the controversial press conference. Sources had told DawnNews that an informal meeting of the apex court judges had taken place in the chief justice’s chamber. The meeting which lasted for nearly an hour was reportedly attended by 12 apex court judges.

The judges had discussed Riaz’s press briefing and the aftermath of the Arsalan Iftikhar suo motu case, sources said. The video of Riaz’s press conference was also summoned by the chief justice after consultations with the justices present during the meeting, sources added.

Today’s hearing of the suo motu case was subsequently adjourned to Thursday, June 14.