ISLAMABAD: Senator Faisal Vawda and MNA Mustafa Kamal requested the Supreme Court on Tuesday to withdraw the contempt of court charges, with Mr Vawda explaining he never intended to bring the judiciary into disrepute while Mr Kamal tendering unconditional apology before the court.

On May 17, a three-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa issued contempt charges against the two lawmakers for their outburst against the judiciary by holding separate press conferences at the National Press Club in Islamabad.

The notices were issued apparently for several malicious allegations against the judiciary as well as the judges.

In his reply, Mr Vawda hoped that his “bona fide intentions” for the betterment of the country were not read otherwise and the show-cause notice issued to him would be withdrawn.

Mustafa Kamal tenders unconditional apology over anti-judiciary remarks

The senator said he was a public figure and was known for his fiery speeches and insisted that his words pagri uchaalna (meaning to toss the turban, a figure of speech that implies causing the loss of honour) were not directed towards any particular person.

Instead, he said, those words were meant to discourage anyone from any walk of life who levels allegations without any proof against any organisation or person, causing irreparable harm to the public confidence in that organisation and inadvertently causing harm to the progress and existence of Pakistan.

Mr Vawda said these comments were not directed against anyone during the question-and-answer session at the same press conference and were meant for all such people working against the interests of Pakistan.

The accused also drew the court’s attention towards instances where the court had not taken notice of what he called a direct threat issued to the judiciary and untoward remarks against the judges. He said the instances include but are not limited to threats made by Maulana Fazlur Rehman outside the gate of the Supreme Court and PTI’s information secretary Raoof Hasan calling a judge complicit and a “tout.”

Moreover, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on May 28 called judges “black sheep” and suggested that certain members of the judiciary were meeting to collude as to how to grant bail to former premier Imran Khan.

In all the above instances, the Supreme Court showed restraint in all these cases but despite his “bona fide” press conference, he was issued a show-cause notice.

Mr Vawda’s reply said the words used in the press conference were simply a desperate plea to everyone, including the general public, the judiciary and all organisations concerned with the wellbeing of Pakistan to understand the real issues and unite for the betterment of Pakistan where everyone’s reputation is safe from unsubstantiated allegations.

He said it was very painful for him that he had been widely reported to have been called a “proxy” in national and international media by one of the judges of the Supreme Court despite his “utmost sincerity” for Pakistan and its people.

Mustafa Kamal’s apology

On the other hand, MQM-P leader Mustafa Kamal tendered an unconditional and unqualified apology for his utterances, in particular his press conference, and threw himself at the mercy of the Supreme Court, seeking its clemency, pardon, forgiveness and discharge of the notice/proceedings of contempt of Court initiated against him.

Mr Kamal said he was of the considered view that till such time, the sanctity of courts and the reputation of judges were jealously guarded, and justice could not be dispensed to the people at large fairly and equitably.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority has also furnished the transcripts of the two lawmakers’ press conferences.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2024