LHC bench set to hear contempt petitions against Nawaz dissolves after judge's recusal

LAHORE: A full bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) set to hear the clubbed contempt of court petitions against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz was dissolved once more as a judge recused himself from the hearing on Monday. 

As the bench began proceedings of several petitions seeking contempt proceedings against Nawaz and his family for their 'anti-judiciary' remarks, Justice Shahid Mobeen recused himself from the hearing for personal reasons.

The bench was headed by Justice Mazhar Ali Akbar Naqvi and comprised Justice Mobeen and Justice Atir Mehmood.

The matter will now go back to the LHC chief justice who will form a new full bench to hear the matter. 

LHC Chief Justice Yawar Ali had on Saturday formed a new full bench after Justice Shahid Bilal Hasan, who was previously a member of the bench, was transferred to the Multan bench. 

The petitioners have contended that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leadership has been making derogatory speeches against the Supreme Court since the verdict of Nawaz's disqualification in the Panama Papers case last year. 

The petitioners seek a ban on anti-judiciary speeches.