IHC reserves verdict on contempt cases against Awan, Ghulam Sarwar – Pakistan

Islamabad Superior Court (IHC) on Thursday reserved its verdict on contempt of court cases against Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan and Assistant Prime Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan, after both offered unconditional apologies for their comments.

The verdict of the cases, which were heard together by the President of the Supreme Court of IHC, Athar Minallah, will be announced on November 25.

During the case hearing, Judge Minallah lashed out at Sarwar for linking Nawaz Sharif's release on bail with an "agreement."

"You are a representative of the federal cabinet," said the IHC president of justice. "You have raised questions at the medical board [constituted by the government].

"The court announced a verdict on that medical board and you declared it false."

The aviation minister said he had "expressed doubts" about the medical board.

"You have tried to influence a pending case," Judge Minallah said. "This is contempt of the court and you don't even realize what you said."

"I realize," Sarwar insisted. Judge Minallah said the court "respects" the minister.

"The purpose of calling you here is to make you understand," said the president of the court.

"You tried to make people lose confidence in the institutions with your comments."

Sarwar offered an "unconditional apology" and said: "I apologize if my comments have caused pain to the court."

"The court does not experience pain," said the judge. "Judicial verdicts are recorded by history."

The court told Sarwar to "present whatever [he] he means in writing. "The minister replied:" I do not want to challenge this case, that is why I am offering an unconditional apology. "

Awan, special assistant to the prime minister in information and dissemination, also appeared in court for a hearing on a similar case. The court also reserved its verdict in that case.

The superior court issued separate notices to Sarwar and Awan for their comments on an IHC verdict that granted bail to former Prime Minister Nawaz in the case of Al Azizia for medical reasons. Awan, who had been cited for saying that IHC's decision to grant bail to Nawaz was "a special dispensation," had previously submitted a written apology to the court.