Former Chief Justice of Gilgit-Baltistan Rana Shamim's affidavit case: High Court orders Rana Shamim to submit original affidavit and reply to show cause
Former Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Justice Rana Shamim has told the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Saqib Nisar has ordered former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz not to take bail. The affidavit he gave to the local newspaper The News was not for publication.
He said he was contacted by local newspaper officials after the letter was published.
It may be recalled that the Islamabad High Court, taking note of the claim of former Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar to influence ''the bail case of Nawaz Sharif,Maryam Nawaz, contempt of court against former Chief Justice Gilgit-Baltistan Rana Shamim and journalists Ansar Abbasi and Mir Shakeel''. Had decided to start regular proceedings.
On Tuesday, Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard a contempt of court notice on the affidavit published by former Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Justice Rana Shamim in The News newspaper.
The court summoned the former chief justice of Gilgit-Baltistan to the rostrum and questioned him for giving an affidavit three years later and the newspaper delivered the affidavit to the public.
Rana Shamim told the court that he was contacted after the affidavit was published and he confirmed to the reporter that the affidavit belonged to him.
Rana Shamim said that his statement was affidavit sealed and he did not know how it was leaked, to which the Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court inquired whether he had not given his affidavit to the local newspaper.
A former Gilgit-Baltistan judge told the court that he had not given his statement for swearing in.
When the court questioned whether he had given the affidavit in London for any purpose, Rana Shamim could not satisfy the court with his answer.
''For what purpose was this affidavit given three years later''?, Chief Justice Athar Minallah asked. Addressing the former chief justice, he said that he had tried to win the confidence of the people from the court through this affidavit.
Addressing Rana Shamim, the court said that the court was giving him five days and during this period he should submit his written reply to the court.
Attorney General Khalid Javed asked the court to seek an answer from Rana Shamim as he said he had recorded the affidavit in London. He requested the court to direct Rana Shamim to submit the original affidavit.
The former Gilgit-Baltistan chief justice said he did not know what the affidavit was and wished to see the affidavit reported earlier.
To which the Attorney General replied that, ''the person who gave the affidavit does not even remember what is written in the affidavit''.
Khalid Javed said that if Rana Shamim does not know, then who prepared this affidavit which has been published in the newspaper?
He requested the court to record that he was not aware of the statement made by Rana Shamim in his affidavit.
The attorney general said that the affidavit was given on November 10 and today he says that he does not know what is written in it.
The head of the bench remarked that if, according to Rana Shamim, he sealed the affidavit and gave it to his grandson, the newspaper would be held responsible.
The court also raised the question that if the affidavit was a cell, then how did the newspaper get this affidavit? Addressing Rana Shamim, Chief Justice Athar Minallah said that his statement had complicated the matter for the newspaper.
Pakistan's Attorney General Khalid Javed Khan told the court that the role of media in this case was secondary and therefore contempt of court proceedings against the media should be postponed.
Remarking on this, the Chief Justice said that this court has set some standards and our own freedom depends on freedom of press.
The court said judges should face criticism but at least refrain from defaming the high court for its political rhetoric.
The court directed the former chief justice of Gilgit-Baltistan to file an affidavit and reply to the show cause while adjourning the hearing of the suo motu notice till December 7.