No armed guard accompanied Nawaz inside the court: Supreme Court dispels impression

The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday dispelled the impression that protocol was extended to PML-N leaders during the hearing of identical petitions on Memogate. "We hope that baseless allegations will be avoided in future and the dignity and respect of the apex court will be maintained," stated a press release issued here by the Public Relations Office of the SC.
It added that the former federal minister for law Dr Babar Awan and other PPP leaders have alleged that the PML-N leaders accompanied by armed security guards were given special protocol on the occasion of Memogate scandal hearing on December 1 (Thursday). 'It is clarified that as per usual practice, all the litigants including the leaders of PML-N entered the Court building through the public reception gate and after security clearance were given visitor cards to enter the Court Room. No one was given any protocol or any special favour as far as entry in the Court premises or in the Court Room No 1 is concerned", stated in the release.
The security personnel as well as court officials on duty are trained people. The court officials are instructed to treat litigant parties and advocates with dignity and respect without any distinction or discrimination whatsoever. A careful review of CCTV cameras footage installed in the Supreme Court building also revealed that no armed private guard accompanied the PML-N leaders inside the Court, as wrongly alleged in the above said Press Conference. "To this context, the contents of the Press Conference are totally false, misleading and contrary to the facts," it concluded.-PR