IHC defers indicting journalists in affidavit case

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 20 January 2022

The Islamabad High Court has formally indicted former Chief Justice Rana Shamim in an affidavit case. The court has postponed the indictment of journalists pending trial findings.

Summary

ISLAMABAD - The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has formally indicted the former Chief Justice of Gilgit-Baltistan Rana Shamim in a case about the publication of an affidavit. However, the court deferred the indictment of journalists.

Attorney General Khalid Jawed Khan pleaded with the court that charges be framed against only Rana Shamim and deferred against the journalists named in the case.

In response, Chief Justice Athar Minallah temporarily deferred the indictment of the media persons and warned: "If it is found during the trial that they did this [published the news] deliberately, then action will be taken against them."

Earlier, Journalist Association President Saqib Bashir appeared before the court and requested to defer the indictment of media persons.

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists' former President Afzal Butt also informed the court that they held meetings to report and analyse the ongoing cases.

The AGP, amicus Reema Omer, Nasir Zaidi, Faisal Siddiqui, The News' Editor Investigations Ansar Abbasi, the publication's editor-in-chief and others were present during the hearing.

The court adjourned the hearing till February 15.