The Supreme Court of Pakistan issued contempt of court notices to Senator Faisal Vawda and MQM-P leader Mustafa Kamal for their press conferences, which criticized the judiciary. The three-member bench, led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa and including Justices Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Irfan Saadat Khan, took suo motu notice of Vawda’s press conference, in which he questioned the credibility of the judiciary and asked IHC judge Babar Sattar to present evidence of alleged interference by intelligence agencies.
During the hearing, Chief Justice Isa emphasized the importance of respecting institutions and constructive criticism, noting that while flaws exist within the judiciary, personal attacks and disrespect towards the entire institution are unacceptable. He criticized the choice of holding press conferences instead of addressing concerns in Parliament and highlighted the need for constructive forward movement by acknowledging and accepting mistakes.
The court directed the submission of video recordings and transcripts of the press conferences and adjourned the hearing until June 5. Vawda, in his press conference, challenged Justice Sattar to provide evidence of his allegations, which were originally part of a broader accusation by six IHC judges about coercive tactics used by intelligence agencies against judges.
The Supreme Court’s actions underline the judiciary’s stance on maintaining its dignity and addressing criticisms through appropriate channels rather than public press conferences.
