IHC indicts ex-GB judge Rana Shamim

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has indicted former chief justice of Gilgit-Baltistan Rana Shamim in a case pertaining to allegations against former chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar, Aaj News reported on Thursday.

The indictment of others involved in the case including Jang Group owner Mir Shakeel ur Rehman and senior journalists Ansar Abbasi and Aamir Ghauri has been deferred.

Earlier, Shamim had informed the apex court that he had filed two new petitions. The court replied that they would be looked into once charges were framed.

IHC again defers indictment of Rana Shamim, others

On January 7, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah had given Shamim and the others time until the next hearing on January 20 (today) saying "acceptance of mistake in front of the court increases honour".

Accusations against ex-CJP

A story published in The News stated that in 2018 Nisar influenced judicial proceedings to prolong the detention of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz following their conviction in the Avenfield apartments reference.

As per the alleged affidavit, Shamim claims Nasir had travelled to GB for vacations in 2018 and on one occasion appeared “very disturbed” while speaking to his registrar on the phone, asking him to get in touch with a high court judge.

Have not seen the affidavit, former GB judge Shamim tells IHC

Shamim said that Nisar was finally able to get in touch with the judge and told him that Nawaz and Maryam must remain in jail until elections are over, after which “he became calm and happily demanded another cup of tea”.

According to the document, Shamim said he told Nisar that Nawaz had been falsely implicated, to which the former CJP replied: “Rana Sahib the chemistry of Punjab is different from GB.”

CJP Saqib Nisar rubbishes allegations

Former chief justice Nisar has rejected the allegations of the former chief judge of Gilgit-Baltistan. He, on telephone, told media persons that the accusations levelled against him were “contrary to the facts”; therefore, he did not want to respond to the “plain lies” of the ex-GB chief justice.

The ex-CJP said Shamim had asked him for an extension but he did not accept his request, adding that the ex-GB CJ had also complained to him about the same.