From Abid Usman
LAHORE: Lahore High Court’s Justice Waheed Khan has directed law officers to assist the court on the maintainability of a plea seeking contempt proceedings against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The pe-tition alleges that Sharif referred to some judges as “black sheep”, undermining the integrity and in-dependence of the judiciary.
During the proceedings, Justice Khan questioned Additional Attorney General Raja Khurram on whether the petition was maintainable. Khurram responded that the Attorney General for Pakistan had clarified to the Supreme Court that Sharif’s statement did not pertain to current judges.
“Do you have the written order of the court?” Justice Khan asked Khurram, who replied, “Not yet.”
The petition was filed by Ashba Kamran, who named the Federation of Pakistan through the Prime Minister’s principal secretary as the respondent. Kamran expressed concern and disappointment over Sharif’s remarks, made during a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) general council meeting on May 28, 2024. Kamran’s petition stated, “The Prime Minister’s statement, referring to the judiciary as ‘black sheep,’ not only lacks decorum but also undermines the integrity and independence of the judiciary.”
The petitioner argued that Sharif’s remarks constituted contempt of court and posed a significant threat to the credibility and authority of the judiciary. “It is imperative that appropriate action be taken to address this matter and uphold the dignity of the judiciary,” Kamran submitted.
The petitioner urged the court to initiate proceedings according to the law against PM Shehbaz for his contemptuous statement.
