SC dismisses contempt of court petitions against Sharifs, other leaders

The Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed on Tuesday contempt of court petitions against several leaders, including deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar took up the contempt cases and said that the apex court will take up the cases at an appropriate time while it was taking notice of  the remarks being made regarding the judiciary.

During the hearing, petitioner Mahmood Akhtar Naqvi said that Nawaz had started abusing the court after being disqualified. To this, the CJP observed that the contemptuous speech was directed at the joint investigation team and not the apex court.

SC to indict Nehal Hashmi on March 26 in contempt case

The SC has dismissed contempt of court cases against Nawaz, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, captain (retd) Safdar, Minister for Privatization Daniyal Aziz, Railway Minister Saad Rafiq, former PM Yousuf Raza Gilani and Syed Iqbal Haider, local media reported.

The year 2017 saw many political leaders openly targeting the judiciary in Pakistan. Several leaders had already been summoned by the SC over their contemptuous remarks. Former PML-N Senator Nehal Hashmi was given one month imprisonment by the SC and has also been barred from holding public office for five years.