Islamabad: The Supreme Court, on Friday, accepted apologies from Senator Faisal Vawda and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan lawmaker Mustafa Kamal, and withdrew the contempt of court notices issued to them.
Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa read the court’s order, stating that both parliamentarians, Senator Faisal Vawda and Member of the National Assembly Mustafa Kamal, acknowledged the inappropriateness of their statements.
“Their statements have been retracted and they have unconditionally apologized to the court,” the order read.
Earlier, Vawda had tendered an unconditional apology, expressing his reliance on the mercy of the apex court in the contempt case, while Kamal had also sought forgiveness for his remarks against the judiciary.
The court mentioned it was withdrawing the show-cause notices considering their reflection on the matter and the apologies offered.
During the hearing, the Chief Justice remarked on Article 66 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech in Parliament, emphasizing that it does not extend to disparaging the judiciary outside its bounds.
Addressing the politicians, CJP Isa advised caution in their future remarks about the judiciary, stressing mutual respect between institutions for the public good.
The court’s decision followed over a month of proceedings since issuing contempt notices to both politicians for their strong criticism of the judiciary in May, which had come in response to concerns raised by Islamabad High Court judges.
The order also noted actions against numerous television channels for broadcasting the contentious press conferences, directing them to justify their actions within two weeks or face potential contempt proceedings.
It added that channels must disclose any commercial gains made from broadcasting such events, underscoring their obligation to balance public interest with legal responsibilities.
