IHC gives last chance to Rana Shamim to submit original affidavit

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) said on Tuesday that it giving former chief justice Gilgit-Baltistan Rana Shamim the last chance to submit his original affidavit on the next date otherwise he would be indicted in contempt of court case.

Chief Justice Islamabad High Court Justice Athar Minallah conducted the hearing of the case related to the former judge who had levelled allegations against former chief justice Saqib Nisar. The former judge had claimed that Saqib Nisar had told him that the judiciary was directed to keep PML-N leaders Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz behind bars.

During the hearing, Justice Athar Minallah remarked that there will be consequences if Rana Shamim had not given the affidavit for publication and had not made it for any other purpose.

Read more: IHC directs Shamim to submit original affidavit in 5 days

IHC CJ remarked that no one can approach the judges of this court and nobody would be allowed to damage the public trust in the courts.

“An independent judge cannot give an excuse that there was any pressure on him,” he observed.

Former judge Rana Shamim in his reply said that he does not want to make the affidavit public during his life. He promised his late wife that he will put facts on record that’s why he signed an affidavit in the UK to keep it safe in another country.

Read more: Contempt of court laws do not protect ex-CJP from criticism, says IHC

He said that he didn’t make the affidavit public that’s why contempt of court proceedings cannot be held against him. However, he is ready to face former CJ Saqib Nisar regarding the statements he made in the affidavit.

IHC directed Rana Shamim to submit the original affidavit till December 13 and adjourned the hearing.