ISLAMABAD: A bench of Supreme Court of Pakistan found PML-N leader Talal Chaudhry guilty of contempt of court, and handed him sentence till the rising of the court, media reported on Thursday.
Chaudry, a former minister of state for interior, was ordered by the apex court to ensure his presence during today’s proceedings, which were based on a suo motu notice on his ‘anti-judiciary’ speech during a party rally in Jaranwala in January this year.
The sentence by a three judge-bench of the apex court headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmed renders Talal Chaudhry disqualified to hold public office for a period of five years. The court also imposed Rs. One Lac fine on the PML-N leader.
Chaudry appeared in court today along with his counsel Kamran Murtaza.
The court had reserved its verdict on the case on July 11 after beginning proceedings in February.
The Supreme Court had initiated contempt proceedings against Chaudry on account of “derogatory and contemptuous speeches/statements” with regard to the court, according to a notification issued on February 2.
In his response to the contempt notice, Talal Chaudhry, during his speech at a PML-N rally in Jarranwala in January this year, had said: “There was an era when the Kaabah was full of idols. Today, the judiciary, which is the country’s highest institution, is also full of PCO [Provisional Constitution Order] judges.”
“Whatever has been said might have been taken into account without relevance to the context due to media reporting,” his response stated.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar had taken suo motu notice of the contemptuous speech.
The Supreme Court bench after hearing Chaudhry’s arguments on July 11, had close the case and reserved its judgement, which was announced today.
The bench sentenced Talal Chaudhry till the rising of the court — a punishment that carries with it an automatic five-year disqualification of holding a public office under Article 63 (1) (g) of the Constitution.
Chaudry’s conviction follows those of other PML-N leaders who, in their defence of party supremo and deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, made derogatory remarks against state institutions.
Previously, courts also found former federal minister Danial Aziz and ex-senator of PML-N, Nihal Hashmi guilty of contemptuous speeches and disqualified them from holding public offices.
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