LAHORE: Justice Shahid Karim of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday will hear a contempt application against disqualified former PM Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif, ministers Talal Chaudhry and Danyal Aziz. A civil society member, Amna Malik, has moved the application. Her counsel, Muhammad Azhar Siddique, stated that the respondents were continuously attacking the judges of Supreme Court of Pakistan. “Nawaz Sharif and other PML-N leaders are also trying to discredit the apex judiciary. Contemptuous remarks of disqualified former prime minister and others went on air through media channels. However, PEMRA has nevertheless taken any action against those who are propagating and misreporting the judicial proceedings in order to address this serious and alarming issue.” “On February 4, in a public meeting in Peshawar, Nawaz Sharif, Maryam, Talal Chaudhry and Danyal Aziz, criticised SC judges and their Panama verdict. All these persons have also committed sedition and waged war against the institution of judiciary,” he said. He stated that the role of PEMRA was to regulate the media channels and to make sure that nothing went on-air that was against state institutions, state’s integrity and state’s sovereignty. He stated that the PEMRA had remained dormant in case of Nawaz Sharif and his kitchen cabinet. “The civil society wishes PEMRA shows the same kind of vigilant behavior when the leadership of PML-N was trying to make the apex court controversial and incredible,” the petition stated. The counsel has requested the LHC to issue directions to PEMRA to ban/prohibit the hate speeches of Nawaz Sharif and others that were against state institutions and could create anarchy in the country and also contempt of court in view of Article 204 of the Constitution read with section 3 of the Contempt of Court Ordinance, 2003. “These statement are also a sedition against the state. Licences of channels that broadcast hate material, hate speeches, derogatory remarks against state institutions like judiciary may also be suspended in the best interest of the country,” he said. Bench formed: Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Tuesday constituted a three-member bench to hear the contempt of court case against PML-N leader Danyal Aziz for his contemptuous speeches against apex court and its judges. The bench headed by Justice Azmat Saeed will hear the contempt of court case against Danyal Aziz on February 7. The apex court has ordered Danyal Aziz to appear before court personally. Nehal Hashmi: Former PML-N senator Nehal Hashmi on Tuesday submitted an intra-court appeal in the SC against his sentence in contempt of court case. In the plea, Hashmi stated that his speeches did come under contempt of court as he was also a lawyer by profession, continuing that he was indicted despite filing an unconditional apology. He said that the court should have shown lenient behaviour in his case as the record did not show any contempt of court attempt. Earlier on February 1, the SC had sentenced Nehal Hashmi to one month in prison over contempt of court case against him. A three-member bench headed by Justice Asif Khosa had also disqualified the accused for five years, asking him to submit Rs 50,000 fine. Published in Daily Times, February 7th 2018.