Rana Shamim ex-GB judge indicted in affidavit case

Rana Shamim ex-GB judge has been indicted in an affidavit case on Thursday.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) charged ex-chief justice of Gilgit-Baltistan Rana Shamim for leveling allegations against the former chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar in an affidavit.

During the last hearing on January 7, the IHC had adjourned the hearing on a contempt of court case against the former chief judge of Gilgit-Baltistan and several journalists till today.

Justice Minallah said that charges would be framed first before everything else.

After IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah framed the charges, Rana Shamim said: “I accept some things and some I don’t.”

The contempt of court case pertains to the publication of an affidavit containing serious allegations that ex-chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar attempted to influence a case against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah took notice of the report and subsequently initiated contempt proceedings as Nawaz and Maryam’s case was being heard in the Islamabad High Court.

Other than Rana Shamim, the report’s author Abbasi, Rehman, and The News editor Aamir Ghauri were also named in the case.

Former judge Rana Shamim said before the court that he had filed two new petitions to which he was given the same answer that they would be looked into once charges were framed.

The IHC chief justice expressed that the court had been disrespected and questioned whether anyone had any issue with the high court.

“A perception is being created specifically regarding on this court. What sort of perception is this that the judges of this court are compromised?” the judge said.

Justice Minallah conveyed that the court could not give a license for anyone to disrespect it.

“It is not even realized that there was an attempt to influence a case that was being heard in court. This court believes in open accountability and welcomes it. Has there been any order from July 2018 till now on which this perception [of judges being compromised] fits?

“The article is not related to Saqib Nisar but it has to do with this court. People have been told the judges of this court are compromised. A case was fixed for hearing two days later when the story was published,” Justice Minallah said.

He added that if there was any mistake then the court should be informed so action could be taken.

Zaidi sought permission to address the court but was denied, with the judge saying: “There is no need for you to say anything. We’ve already said that their (media’s) role is secondary.”

The judge did question the publishing policy of the newspaper that carried the story of Shamim’s affidavit. “What would happen if tomorrow any third party gives a paper and we print it? If such a big newspaper says that they had not taken any legal opinion in this regard then that will be injustice,” he remarked.

The court was informed that Jang Group owner Mir Shakeel ur Rehman could not appear for the proceedings as he had tested positive for Covid-19.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah rejected Attorney General Khalid Jawed Khan’s request to allow Mir Shakeel ur Rehman to attend court proceedings via video link.