SC accepts Vawda, Mustafa’s apologies in Contempt of court case

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has accepted the apologies tendered by Senator Faisal Vawda and MNA Mustafa Kamal, leading to the withdrawal of contempt of court case (notices issued against them). Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, while reading the court’s order, highlighted that both parliamentarians acknowledged the impropriety of their statements and offered unconditional apologies to the court.

Senator Vawda expressed regret and submitted his apology earlier this week, leaving his fate to the mercy of the apex court. Meanwhile, MNA Mustafa Kamal had also sought forgiveness for his remarks concerning the judiciary earlier this month. In response to their reflections on the matter and the tendering of apologies, the court decided to withdraw the show-cause notices issued to them.

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During the proceedings, Chief Justice Isa reminded both politicians of the constitutional freedom of speech under Article 66, emphasizing that while lawmakers can speak freely in Parliament, they must exercise caution when discussing judiciary matters outside its confines. He stressed the importance of mutual respect between the judiciary and elected representatives for the benefit of the public.

The court’s decision in Contempt of court case comes after it took suo motu notice of press conferences held by Vawda and Kamal in May, where they made critical statements about the judiciary following disclosures by Islamabad High Court judges. The court also addressed the broadcast of these statements by multiple television channels, issuing notices to explain their actions within two weeks.