Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday deferred indictment in the contempt of court case against former chief justice of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Rana Shamim and other accused till Jan 20.
The court had resumed hearing of the case earlier today under IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah.
On Dec 28, 2021, the IHC decided to indict Shamim along with other accused in the contempt of court case on January 7 (today).
The high court had initiated proceedings against Shamim, investigative reporter Ansar Abbasi, editor-in-chief of a national daily, and its resident editor after an affidavit was published in the newspaper that accused former chief justice Saqib Nisar of influencing the case against ex-PM Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz.
During the hearing, Justice Athar Minallah said the court initiated the proceedings in the case because an impression was being given that the court had been compromised. “This court is presenting itself for self-accountability,” he added.
The IHC CJ said he couldn’t comment on things happening outside the high court but he was only concerned with the IHC.
'Private affidavit'
Shamim’s lawyer Latif Afridi said his client didn’t share the affidavit with anyone. When Ansar Abbasi had approached him for a version, he was told that the affidavit was a private document, Afridi added.
As per Rana Shamim, the document could have been leaked by the notary public. At this, the court asked did Shamim send notices to Abbasi or the notary public? Afridi said this was Shamim’s own issue as he was not hired to argue on that issue.
He said Shamim got to know of the leaking of his affidavit after it was published in the newspaper. “Shamim will take action against those who [allegedly] leaked his affidavit after getting free from these proceedings,” Afridi added.
Affidavit signed at Nawaz’s office
In exclusive evidence available with this scribe, Rana Shamim, took the oath and signed an affidavit in the office of none other than Mian Nawaz Sharif, trying to incriminate former chief justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar and honourable sitting judges of IHC.
In the evidence available, Charles Guthrie; a UK Solicitor confirmed that ‘Judge Guy’ was at ‘Marble Arch’.
During the last hearing, however, Shamim was questioned about the report published in this paper. In his reply to the reporter, Justice (retd) Shamim said that he was alone at the time of signing the affidavit.