Nawa-i-Hurriyat editor arrested
MUZAFFARABAD – The police on August 13, Friday arrested chief editor of an Urdu weekly on the orders of Supreme Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Chief Justice of AJK Supreme Court Justice Muhammad Younus Surkhvi after recording the statement of Khawar Nawaz Raja, chief editor, weekly Nawa-i-HurriyatMuzaffarabad, Rawalpindi ordered for his arrest on the charges of misuse of printer’s name Malik Abdul Aziz owner of T.S. Printers Rawalpindi and gave him a chance to explain before the court why he may not be given punishment as he had found guilty of contempt of court.
The court discharged the owner of T.S. Printers Malik Abdul Aziz from the list of co-accused who was present in the court as Raja himself admitted that he had not got his newspaper printed from the said printer.
The apex court also ordered suspension of declaration while information secretary told the court that the weekly would be removed from the AJK media list.
The court also directed the police to register a separate case against Khawar Nawaz on publishing false and baseless material against judiciary under sections 501, 502, 117, 467, 468 and 469 APC and sections, 40, 41, 42 of Press and Publication Ordinance 1990 on publishing false and baseless material against the judges of the superior judiciary.
The court in its order observed that the accused had insulted the superior court and held that accused would be freed after filing of personal bond and surety bonds of Rs 500,000 each to ensure his presence in the court during the proceeding of case since accused resides in Pakistan.
The apex court directed the high officials of police and district administration to produce chief editor, printer and publisher of weekly Nawa-i-Hurriyat in the court on publishing baseless and false stories against the judges of the superior judiciary.
Khawar Raja contended in the court that a man named as Pervez gave him the material in Rawalpindi against the judges and assured the apex court that he would produce the news source (Pervez) in the court within one month.
The court ordered the arrest of accused in the case registered against him under relevant sections of the Press and Publication Ordinance Azad Jammu and Kashmir, 1990.
The court also fixed September 2 next date for hearing and directed the officials of police and district administration to produce those people before the court who persuaded Raja for publishing insulting stories against the judiciary.
Earlier on August 12, High Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir also summoned Khawar Raja in contempt of court case in the court and fix August 23 for next hearing.
Chief Justice of AJK High Court Justice Riaz Akhtar after hearing granted bail on the filing of surety bond of Rs200,000 and ordered production of all co-accused.
The little known Weekly Nawa-i-Hurriyat publishing from Muzaffarabad and Rawalpindi had published several news against the judges of AJK courts containing various allegations.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:8/14/2004
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