ISLAMABAD, Apr 29 (APP): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday summoned the bureau chief of ARY news channel regarding an ‘organized campaign’ against the judiciary.
Chief Justice Athar Minallah, who heard journalist Arshad Shairf’s case, also appointed IHC Journalists Association and former president of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) as amicus curiae.
The chief justice, in his written order, also extended its stay order over any action by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) against Arshad Sharif.
Petitioner’s lawyer Faisal Chaudhry told the court that his client could manage to attend today’s proceeding due to the court’s interference.
Referring to a programme of anchorperson Kashif Abbasi, the court asked the lawyer whether he had watched that programme, in which much was said about the judiciary without any verification. They tried to damage the public trust in the judiciary, he added.
The chief justice remarked that the court would open even at 3 a.m. if there were a matter related to the Constitution or any marginalized segment of the society. Whether any order issued by the apex court had affected anybody, he questioned.
A narrative was being built against the judiciary, but the court would not allow violation of the Constitution, he observed.
The petitioner’s lawyer argued that only those who had conducted the programme could answer in the matter.
The chief justice asked whether they wanted the court not to hear emergency matters.
Addressing ARY’s reporter present in the courtroom, the chief justice asked whether he had shared the press release with his channel regarding how the court had heard the case of journalist Matiullah Jan even he petitioner had not signed the case.
The court, he observed, had heard a number of applications after court timings. If journalist Arshad Sharif were picked up at midnight then why the court would not hear the matter, he asked.
The chief justice remarked that the Supreme Court had given a clear message that the violation of Constitution would not be allowed. The court said whether the petitioner knew that it had dismissed that case with heavy fine. Only the lights of the court were switched on on the night of April 9.
The court asked the reporter how many programmes his channel had conducted on the missing persons and Baloch students.
Former PFUJ president Afzal Butt said the reporters used to file correct news but some people sitting in offices of media houses did not have much knowledge of law.
The court said that according to law the chief justice was authorized to hear important cases after the office timings.
The court adjourned the case till May 12.
