Rana Shamim challenges indictment in contempt of court case in IHC

Rana Shamim Tuesday has challenged his indictment in contempt of court case in Islamabad High Court

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Former Chief Judge of Gilgit Baltistan Rana Shamim on Tuesday has challenged his indictment in contempt of court case in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

According to details, the former judge filed an intra-court appeal which stated it is illegal to acquit those who concealed the affidavit and charge me instead.

Rana Shamim in his appeal further said that the court should nullify the indictment decision and close this case. There is no record that I gave anyone my affidavit to hide it, he also said.

Earlier, IHC had indicted Gilgit Baltistan’s former Chief Judge Rana Shamim in contempt of court case.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, while reading out the charge sheet, deferred indictment proceedings against the journalists and rejected the petition to separate Attorney General from the case. Rana Shamim appealed the court to order indiscriminate inquiry into his affidavit over which, the court remarked that serious allegations were leveled in the document.

You tell us if anyone is facing any problem with this court, Athar Minallah asked the former CJ, adding that this court believes in open accountability.

Rana Shamim denied the charges.

It merits mention here that IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah directed Rana Shamim to come to the rostrum over which, the ex-judge said that he had filed two new petitions. In response, the IHC CJ told, “We will first indict you then hear your pleas. The court had already given the orders to indict you [Rana Shamim] today."

The former GB CJ told that his lawyers were on their way to the court over which, the IHC adjourned the hearing for a short time period.

Meanwhile, the court rejected the appeals to stop character assassination of Rana Shamim and disqualify Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders. The IHC also turned down the intra-court pleas of Rana Shamim’s daughter-in-law and grandchildren.

Previously, IHC had received the original affidavit of Chief Judge Rana Shamim and deferred the decision of indicting him. The high court had also termed replies of all the parties including Rana Shamim as unsatisfactory.

It is to be mentioned here that the high court had taken notice of revelations leveled by former chief judge of Gilgit Baltistan Rana Muhammad Shamim regarding PML-N leaders Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz and summoned all the parties and Attorney General Khalid Javed Khan in personal capacity.

Former CJ of Gilgit Baltistan was also served with contempt of court notice.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah remarked, “I trust each and every judge of the court. The judges can also be made accountable and criticized. An environment of disbelief will prevail in society if people stop trusting the courts.”

Athar Minallah told the he had also faced social media backlash. He further directed the journalist to read his story’s headline. The IHC CJ asked where the former judge had notarized this affidavit as it is not part of any record of this court.