SC resents non-appearance of channel’s CEO
ISLAMABAD: While expressing annoyance on the absence of CEO of private TV channel (ARY TV) Salman Iqbal in the contempt of court case despite court order the Supreme Court remarked that it seemed that he (CEO) was not taking the court seriously.
The three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Ejaz Ahmad Chaudhry, heard the case on Monday. The anchorperson of ARY Mubashir Lucman appeared in the court, but his counsel Irfan Qadir was not present. On this occasion, advocate on record, told the court that Irfan Qadir did not come due to illness of his close relative. He said that decision of intra court appeal was not received yet; therefore, the court should give time to them.
The court remarked that in the last hearing both persons (CEO Salman Iqbal and anchorperson Mubashir Lucman) were directed to appear in-person in the court, but despite that Salman Iqbal did not appear. On this, the ARY bureau chief told the court that Salman Iqbal arrived in Pakistan Sunday from abroad; therefore, he could not appear in the court.
On this, Justice Ejaz Ahmad Chaudhry expressed anger and said that it seemed that your CEO was not taking the Supreme Court seriously. He said that the case could not be run in such way; Irfan Qadir should appear and give his arguments so that the case could be disposed of.
Mubashir Lucman sought unconditional apology from the court on the absence of Salman Iqbal and pleaded to fix the date of the case after November 30 because the roads of Islamabad are being blocked which might create problem to reach the court.The court adjourned the proceeding of indictment on Salman Iqbal and Mubashir Lucman till December 1 and ordered both of them to appear in the court.
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