Islamabad: After the photo of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan was leaked in yesterday’s hearing, a ban on carrying mobile phones has been imposed in the premises of Supreme Court.

According to the details, the court staff also stopped the clerks and lawyers from carrying mobile phones.

Journalists are already banned from taking mobile phones into the courtroom.

It is pertinent to note that yesterday, during the hearing of the case related to amendments in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law, the founding chairman of PTI and former Prime Minister Imran Khan was presented in the Supreme Court as a petitioner through a video link.

The Supreme Court administration had started an investigation on the issue of the picture going viral. According to police, the administration directed the staff to identify the person who made the picture viral by checking the CCTV footage. Police will take action against the person who made the picture viral. The photo was taken in violation of the courtroom rules.

The trial was not televised live, and the reason for this was not explained, while the previous hearing of the same case was televised.

Islamabad: During the hearing of the suo motu case taken at the press conference of Senator Faisal Vawda in the Supreme Court, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa asked Faisal Vawda and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Mustafa Kamal to respond within two weeks.

According to the details, a three-member bench headed by Qazi Faez Isa heard the supplementary case, Justice Irfan Saadat Khan and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan are included in the bench.

The Chief Justice asked for the details of Faisal Vawda's press conference.

During the hearing, Additional Attorney General Amir Rehman appeared in the Supreme Court. The Chief Justice asked him if he has seen the press conference and if it was humiliating. The Additional Attorney General replied that the words were muted from in the one he heard.

The Chief Justice stated that there have been more discussions against him but he ignored. Taking advantage of the ignorance, he also thought of making the speech. If we have done something bad, take our name, targeting the institution will not be allowed. Institutions belong to the people, defaming institutions is not a service to the country. Read the constitution and laws on freedom of expression and contempt of court.

Justice Qazi Faez Isa added that you went to press club and held a conference, you could have spoken in the parliament.

Faisal Vawda's Statement After Suo Motu Notice

On the other hand, in his statement, Faisal Vawda said that he stands by the position he took in the press conference. ‘I will cut my neck on my honor and I will not back down. Whoever throws our turban, we will make a football of their turban. If someone abuses me, I will give abuses double in response’.

He stated that he did not take name of any judge. Rauf Hassan calls judges the ‘tout’. There is no notice on this. Atta Tarar, Mustafa Kamal and Talal Chaudhry were not named. I was called by single out. But if you accuse me of proxy, you will have to provide evidence.

Faisal Vawda added that he did not blame anyone. If you threw my turban, I will throw yours twice. If I have to apologize to anyone for the mistake, I will apologize publicly. I was put under pressure by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and the party. I refused to apologize. I was under pressure but stood my ground.

He further said that he is grateful of getting the opportunity to go to the Supreme Court. He is appearing before an honest Chief Justice, he did not accused anyone directly.

Vawda’s press conference

It is pertinent to note that Faisal Vawda had said in a press conference in Islamabad that if a member of the assembly cannot have dual citizenship, why should a judge have it. How are judges sitting with dual citizenship? Alcohol is allowed for you and forbidden for us. What happened to Bhutto and who was punished? Asif Zardari was sentenced to 14 years, no one is asking. The current government of founder PTI is not allowed to proceed.

Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Aamer Farooq Friday said in the hearing of the case of blocking the mobile sims of tax non-filers that the court did not stop from blocking the sims, but only the action against the private company.

Islamabad High Court’s Aamer Farooq heard the miscellaneous petition in the case of blocking mobile sims of tax non-filers.

Justice Aamer Farooq inquired from the Attorney General about his presence in IHC. To which he replied that there was an order with mobile sims, its stay order was to be quashed.

The Chief Justice requested the media that the order made last time was not such that the poor or laborers will not be included in it. The Attorney General replied that exactly, they will not be notified.

Justice Aamer stated the fear is that Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) takes everyone in their loop, now everyone goes and tells that it is not like that, who will go to FBR now? There should be some rules and regulations too.

The Chief Justice asked what will happen if a child is using a sim registered in the name of a non-tax payer. What will the working poor man do who has not registered himself?

The Attorney General said that the notice will not go to any poor person, notices are being issued to non-filers from November 2023, if the person submits a reply or satisfies the FBR, his sim will be restored.

Justice Aamer Farooq said that sims blocked was not prevented, but only the action against a private company.

Later, the Attorney General requested the court to vacate the injunction, on which the court issued a notice and asked for a response by May 22.