ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court has released the written order in the contempt case of former top judge of Gilgit-Baltistan Supreme Appellate Court Rana Shamim, journalist Ansaar Abbasi and others.
The IHC in its written order of the Dec 7 hearing of the contempt case declared the response of ex-judge Rana Shamim and other involved persons as unsatisfactory. The court remarked that why it should not indict all parties involved in the case for writing an unfounded affidavit and publishing fake news.
The court has summoned Rana Shamim and others to the court on Dec 13. The IHC on Tuesday ordered Rana Shamim to submit his original affidavit by next Monday and if he failed to do so then the court would indict him.
During the court hearing, Mr Shamim termed the contents of his affidavit absolutely correct prompting the chief justice of Islamabad High Court to say that if he brings only one proof before the court, then he (the CJ) would take the responsibility.
The former judge of the GB acknowledged the veracity of the contents of his affidavit saying that though its contents were correct but it was not meant for publishing.
On this, the IHC CJ remarked that the narrative which was being made out of his affidavit, was very painful.
If there is any truth in this narrative and if you bring only just one proof, then I will take the responsibility. I have full trust in each and every judge of this high court, Justice Minallah said to the former GB top judge.
He further said that they wanted to change the culture of this high court. Do not assume it is a court contempt proceeding. It’s my accountability as well. Now this narrative must come to an end, he added.
In a written order, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah warned that charges would be framed if the maker of the affidavit, Mr Shamim, the publisher and editor in chief of Jang Group Mir Shakeelur Rehman, senior journalist Ansar Abbasi and resident editor Amer Ghouri failed to show it was executed and published for bona fide purpose.
Justice Minallah issued the order after going through the reply submitted by Mr Shamim in which he explained reasons for executing the statement on oath that former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar had made a call to an IHC judge and asked him not to release former premier Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz before the 2018 general election.
“Perusal of the written reply submitted by Rana Mohammad Shamim shows that he has unequivocally taken the stance that he had neither circulated the affidavit to the press nor ‘shared it with anyone’. He has further stated that ‘I made the statement before the Notary Public at London and while placing the same in a sealed envelope, handed it over to my grandson with a clear instruction that neither he would open it nor share the same with anyone’. It has been stated that the copy of the statement was retained by the Notary Public in London for record,” Justice Minallah noted.
“It, prima-facie, appears that Rana Mohammad Shamim has suggested that the affidavit may have been leaked, without his consent, by the Notary Public who had notarized his affidavit in London. He has also unambiguously alleged that his affidavit was used for publication by the alleged contemnors, Ansar Abbasi, Aamir Ghouri and Mir Shakeel ur Rehman without his express or tacit consent/approval. If so, then this could have serious consequences for the Notary Public in London as well as the alleged contemnors who appear to have published the contents of the affidavit in haste with the intent to disseminating it widely amongst public at large,” the court order stated.