ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Interior Affairs Talal Chaudhry on Saturday requested the Supreme Court to quash contempt of court proceedings against him as he submitted his response to the apex court in the contempt of court case. A three-judge bench of the apex court had issued the minister a show-cause notice to explain as to why he might not be proceeded against for committing contempt of court by making contemptuous and derogatory speeches, maligning the judiciary. In his reply, the minister said he never indulged in mocking the judiciary, nor could he even think of committing contempt of court. He claimed that his statement about the judiciary was taken out of context. He said he had never wittingly or unwittingly acted in a manner, which can be deemed as contempt of court. The PML-N leader asked the apex court to provide details of his statement on the basis of which contempt proceedings were initiated against him. He said every citizen has right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19 of the constitution. During the hearing of the case on February 19, Kamran Murtaza, counsel for the minister, had sought 10 days from the bench to prepare for the case. However, the counsel was granted a week and the hearing was adjourned. During a PML-N’s rally in Gujranwala, the minister had said, “There was a time when the Kaabah was full of idols. Today, the judiciary is also full of PCO judges.” Published in Daily Times, February 25th 2018.