LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday sought personal appearance of Federal Minister for Interior Ahsan Iqbal to explain his position an ‘anti-judiciary’ speech he made last week apparently in response to remarks made by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar about his (minster’s) involvement in appointment of the vice chancellor of a women’s university.

“The language used by the interior minister was threatening in nature,” observed a three-judge full bench seized with the petitions against anti-judiciary speeches of ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and other leaders of the PML-N.

The bench headed by Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi had on April 16 last ordered Pemra to stop hate speeches/aspersions against the institution of judiciary and judges of the superior judiciary.

Pemra’s acting chairman Ashfaq Jumani was present in court along with counsel when the full bench resumed hearing on Wednesday.

Petitioners’ counsel Azhar Siddique stated before the bench that Pemra failed to comply with the order in letter and spirit as anti-judiciary speeches by the respondents had been broadcast on television channels. He pointed out that Pemra failed to stop airing Ahsan Iqbal’s anti-judiciary speech.

When asked about the action taken by Pemra, the acting chairman said show-cause notices had been issued to the television channels besides imposition of fine.

Advocate Siddique argued that the spirit of the court’s order was to stop anti-judiciary speeches, and not the imposition of fines only.

Justice Naqvi asked Pemra’s officer whether the speech made by Ahsan Iqbal was not beyond the parameters set by the court. Mr Jumani said notices had also been issued to the channels in this case.

The counsel further pointed out that Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz continued their hate speeches against the judiciary in violation of court’s order.

The bench asked him to place on record the relevant material about the violation of the order by any of the respondents.

The judges restrained Advocate A.K Dogar from interfering in the proceedings and asked him to take his seat since his client (Nawaz Sharif) was not so far issued a notice by the court. They also stopped the petitioners’ counsel from naming any personality to point out violation of the order. The bench summoned the interior minister on May 7 and also directed Pemra to submit its report regarding decisions on the pending complaints in the light of the court’s last direction.

CJP Nisar had suspended Prof Dr Uzma Qureshi as vice chancellor of the Lahore College for Women University observing that her appointment was maneuvered by the interior minister.

Later, the interior minister while speaking at a seminar in Islamabad criticised the CJP’s remarks by saying the chief justice had no right to name-calling. He also urged the chief justice to first issue him a charge sheet if he had any evidence.

Hearing another petition, the bench directed the Sheikhupura regional police officer to produce the six suspects including PML-N’s parliamentarians involved in holding a protest rally against the judiciary in Kasur.

Representing the petition moved by the District Bar Association, Advocate Ahsan Bhoon argued that the protest rally by the PML-N local leaders was the worst kind of contempt of court in judicial history. He urged the court to summon the respondents and award them exemplary punishment. The bench summoned PML-N MNA Waseem Akhtar, MPA Safdar Ansari and four others on Friday and directed the police to ensure their appearance in court.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2018