Contempt of court: SC accepts Vawda, Kamal’s apologies

Contempt of court: SC accepts Vawda, Kamal’s apologies

The Supreme Court (SC) accepted on Friday apologies tendered by lawmakers Faisal Vawda and Mustafa Kamal on their statements against the judiciary.

A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, and comprising Justice Irfan Saadat and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan resumed the hearing in which Vawda and Kamal both appeared.

The court also again issued show-cause notices to media channels.

A day ago, Vawda tendered an unconditional apology to the SC which said, “In order to show his utmost respect as per the teaching of Islam for the Court sincerely apologizes unconditionally.”

Vawda stated; “The respondent has come to realization that despite his best intentions, his press conference may have come across as objectionable and in order to ensure the prestige of the judiciary and to uphold the Islamic injunctions concerning the image of the judiciary he submits himself before the Court and deeply regrets any harm that may have been caused by his press conference dated May 18, 2024.”

In June, the SC issued contempt notices to TV channels for broadcasting press conferences of Vawda and Kamal, wherein, they maligned the judiciary.

Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) filed the transcript of the press conferences along with the question and answer session.

It also filed the list of TV channels which broadcasted the press conferences. According to it, 34 TV channels aired the press conference of Faisal Vawda and 28 channels telecasted Kamal’s press conference held on May 16.

In May, the SC took suo motu on the press conference of Vawda in which he demanded ‘evidence’ of alleged interference of intelligence agencies in judicial matters.

Addressing a press conference, the senator raised questions on the assertions made by IHC Judge Babar Sattar about interference in judicial matters.

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