ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court dismissed an intra-court appeal of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Tallal Chaudry against his conviction in a contempt of court case.
Talal was convicted for delivering contemptuous speeches against the superior court judges. He was also disqualified to contest elections for five years in view of his conviction in the contempt case.
A five-member larger bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar heard the ICA.
During the course of hearing, a clip of Talal's speech was played in the court room. To this, the CJP observed as to why the Attorney General Office did not ask for enhancing the PML-N leader's sentence.
Talal's counsel Kamran Murtaza tendered an unconditional apology on behalf of his client , saiyng,"It is a matter of the child's political career."
The CJP asked, "Is he (Talal) still a child?" To which, Murtaza responded, "In front of you, everyone is a child." The chief justice then questioned, "Do you use such words for your parents?"
Justice Ijazul Ahsan observed that Tala Chaudhry had not tendered an apology till date.
The chief justice while addressing Talal said: "Chaudhry should I call Mian Nawaz Sharif whom you kept addressing in your speech. Call Mian Sahib so he can throw out PCO judges."
About which idols he had called to throw out of the court, he questioned.
Talal Chaudry in response said, “Sir, symbolically we use the term of PCO (Provisional Constitutional Order).” To this, Justice Ijazul Ahsan remarked, “You are not ready to tender an apology even today.”
The chief justice then rejected the PML-N leader’s intra-court appeal and asked his counsel to present his arguments on the basis of merit if he had any.
He observed Talal Chaudhry had labelled the judges as infidels and idols and called to throw them out of court. "Can the court be further scandalised?" he asked.
It my added that on August 2, 2017, the Supreme Court convicted Talal Chaudhry for contempt of court under Article 204 of the Constitution. Following the conviction, Talal, who lost the July 25 general election from Faisalabad's NA-102 constituency, was disqualified from holding public office for five years.
APP