IHC reserves verdict in contempt case against Firdous Ashiq Awan, Ghulam Sarwar

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday reserved its verdict on a contempt case against Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan and Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan.

The hearing of the case was presided over by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah who reserved the verdict on the minister for aviation’s unconditional apology.

During the hearing today, the chief justice told Sarwar that he was not a common man and was in fact a federal minister. "If a judicial decision comes, criticise it, but use the correct words,” the chief justice remarked. “I have repeatedly said the court respects the Parliament and the elected assembly but you are destroying the people’s trust of the whole system.”

The top judge further said Nawaz Sharif’s appeal is still pending in the court. “Your prime minister and other ministers are saying something else. You are trying to influence the court’s proceedings.”

To this, the aviation minister said, “If you think there has been contempt of court, then I apologise for it. I do not want to fight this case. I submit my unconditional apology to the court.”

The court then issued a contempt of court notice to the federal minister, saying that he should submit a written reply.

Justice Minallah further remarked that the court was not hurt by the comments. “Your job is it increase people's trust in institutions but you are trying to remove people's trust in the institutions by your words,” he said.

Sarwar then requested the court to review its show cause notice sent to him over contempt of court.

The court then reserved its verdict on the unconditional apology by Sarwar and Awan and postponed the hearing till November 25.