News
September 02 , 2022
PML-N Leaders Decry ‘Dual Standards of Justice’
Lahore/Islamabad: Senior leaders of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have expressed disappointment at Wednesday’s proceedings of the contempt case against former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan by a larger bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar and Information Minister Marium Aurangzeb in separate tweets and media talks said that the “relaxation” provided to Imran was unprecedented.
Imran faces contempt proceedings over threatening Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry in a speech at his party’s political rally in Islamabad. On Wednesday, a five-judge IHC bench expressed disappointment over Imran’s written response and ordered him to submit a second reply in seven days.
Maryam Nawaz in her tweet decried, what she described as the ‘dual standards of justice,’ as she referred to the removal of former prime minister and PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif from office and his disqualification as the National Assembly member on a Supreme Court ruling.
She said that the “relaxation” provided to Imran “only proved” before the nation that ‘injustice’ was committed to Nawaz and the party. “Dual standard of justice is unacceptable,” she said. She sarcastically stated that the punishment of contempt should be handed over to Judge Chaudhry, who “insulted” Imran by serving justice.
Similar reactions came from the two federal ministers, Law Minister Tarar and Information Minister Aurangzeb. They also mentioned that the PML-N leaders and lawmakers in the past were not given any relaxation when they faced the contempt proceedings.
Tarar told a press conference in Islamabad that PML-N leaders Talal Chaudhry, Daniyal Aziz and Nihal Hashmi were not only convicted in the contempt of court cases in 2017-18 but also lost their assembly membership. “Nihal Hashmi even faced jail,” he added.
Tarar also referred to Supreme Court proceedings in 2012, saying that the then elected prime minister, Yousaf Raza Gilani, was not only removed from the office in a contempt of court case, but was also disqualified as member of parliament.
In Imran’s case, however, he continued, “as a lawyer, I feel it a little strange that in a case of serious contempt of court in which a larger bench has been constituted, the court showed leniency and gave him [Imran] another opportunity to enter another reply so that he could find a way”.
Tarar said that in the history of Pakistan, whenever the court took up a contempt case and the contemnor was not ashamed of what he had done but insisted that he had done it and was correct in his opinion, it is hardly ever that the person is let off by the court without punishment.
“There is an impression about Imran Khan that he is the favorite of some circles,” the minister told reporters. “To dispel this impression, it is important to keep the spirit of Article 25 of the Constitution, which pertains to ‘equality before the law’ and ‘equal protection of the law’.
Tarar stressed that the implementation of the laws in the true sense was in the interest and survival of the state. “We are very sad and heartbroken. Gender equality is being talked about in our society and the use of such language about women had never been tolerated and should not be condoned. – The Express Tribune
Courtesy The Express Tribune