ISLAMABAD – The Supreme Court issued show-cause notices to Senator Faisal Vawda and MQM-Pakistan lawmaker Mustafa Kamal over their recent critical remarks about high court judges.
The SC three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justices Irfan Saadat Khan and Naeem Akhtar heard the suo motu notice, which followed Vawda’s press conference the previous Wednesday where he criticized high court judges for allegedly maligning the country’s intelligence agencies.
Chief Justice Isa directed Vawda and Kamal to respond to the show-cause notices within two weeks. Additionally, he ordered the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to submit the video recording and transcript of Vawda’s press conference held at the National Press Club in Islamabad on May 15.
During the proceedings, Additional Attorney General Aamir Rehman was present. The chief justice inquired whether Vawda’s remarks amounted to contempt of court. Rehman noted that the video he reviewed lacked sound but mentioned he had heard portions of it in a news bulletin.
On Thursday evening, Vawda expressed his willingness to appear before an impartial chief justice, reaffirming his statements from the press conference. He insisted that he had not named any specific judge and demanded evidence for any accusations against him.
Vawda claimed he was being unfairly targeted, despite other figures like Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, PML-N’s Talal Chaudhry, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and MQM-P’s Mustafa Kamal also commenting on the issue.
In his press conference, Vawda had urged high court judges to either provide evidence for their allegations or stop vilifying state institutions. He questioned Islamabad High Court judge Babar Sattar’s claims, emphasizing the need for evidence in court and vowing to support the judiciary if such evidence was presented.
Vawda highlighted the sacrifices of soldiers and police officers, questioning whether the constitution only demands their sacrifices, and criticized the repeated negative mentions of intelligence agencies.
Vawda also called out politicians and demanded an end to the maligning of state institutions, stressing the need to halt Pakistan’s economic decline. He warned that challenges to Pakistan would have consequences and advocated for transparency over secrecy.
Furthermore, Vawda urged Justice Babar Sattar to provide proof of alleged interference and called on the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) to address the issue.
This comes in the wake of a March letter from six Islamabad High Court judges to the SJC, alleging attempts to pressure judges through abductions, torture, and surveillance.
Justice Sattar, in a subsequent letter to IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, detailed threats and pressures he faced while investigating surveillance practices.
Earlier today, the top court adjourned the hearing, instructing Vawda and Kamal to submit their responses by June 5.
