Daily Times

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Wednesday summoned Chief Editor ‘The News’ Mir Shakeel ur Rehman in person in a case pertaining publishing of advertisement against judiciary.

The court also instructed Mir Shakeel ur Rehman and Editor Aamir Ghouri to submit affidavits before it regarding their stance.

Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the case while Editor ‘The News’ Aamir Ghouri appeared before his court. At the outset of hearing, the chief justice remarked that the advertisement published by the media house did not fall in journalistic reporting. The court noted that the newspapers had published the picture of Chief Justice of Pakistan, adding that this matter could not be ignored.

The chief justice asked the editor to view the ad size and read its contents. He said that the newspaper had published the ad against judiciary for commercial purposes.

Aamir Ghouri extended his apology into the matter at this the court said it was a serious matter and could not be overlooked. The court asked whether the newspaper realized that it had published an advertisement about a pending case. Aamir Ghouri said that the family of Barrister Fahad Malik had given this advertisement and the newspaper published in unintentionally. The court said it was also issuing a notice to the concerned family as well.

The chief justice said one ad was published for consecutively two days and now editor was saying it was unintentionally act. The ad had alleged the judge for committing a deal in the case. The court instructed Mir Shakeel ur Rehman, Chief Editor of the newspaper, to appear on coming Monday and submit his affidavit in the case.

The chief justice remarked that whatever one wants, he speaks about the court.

The newspaper’s lawyer said that his client was extending apology and had already published it in the newspaper. The court asked the newspaper to publish the apology ad on front page on Thursday (today). Further hearing of the case then adjourned till coming Monday.

The ads in question had called on Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial to take notice, claiming that the killers “had struck a deal with the ruling judge in the case”. The family urged the CJP to allow the case to be transferred to an “impartial and non-partisan judge of dignity”. They also called for establishing a larger bench to hear the appeal pending in the apex court against the removal of terrorism clauses in the case. They also requested to ensure that the accused was not removed from the jurisdiction in which the crime was committed, and also asked for the appointment of a monitoring judge to ensure “smooth and equitable dispensation of justice”.