SHC exempts ITNE chief from appearance
KARACHI, March 16,2005: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday received a reply submitted by the chairman of the Implementation Tribunal for Newspaper Employees (ITNE) to a contempt application moved by newspaper publishers , exempted him from personal appearance in the future in view of his ailment and adjourned further proceedings to a date in office.
Former justice Javed Nawaz Gandapur of the Peshawar High Court stated before a bench comprising Chief Justice Saiyed Saeed Ashhad and Justice Maqbool Baqar that he had never shown disrespect for any court. He had appeared earlier also in response to a notice by another division bench of the Sindh High Court.
As for his orders in certain cases relating to newspaper employees, the ITNE chairman said they were passed by him before the SHC stay order was brought to his notice. No order in violation of the SHC order had been made by him, he added.
Advocate Mohammad Akram Shaikh, appearing for the alleged contemner, said Mr Gandapur had served as a judge of the Peshawar High Court for six years. Being well conversant with the law of contempt and the norms of justice, he could not be expected to be disrespectful to the judiciary, least of all commit contempt of court.
The ITNE chairman had to undergo dialysis every week and could not travel frequently. Except in an emergency, he would not fail to answer court notice. However, he should be allowed exemption from personal appearance in view of his illness, the lawyer requested.
Appearing for the newspaper employers, Advocates Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, M. Afzal Siddiqui and Abdus Sattar Pirzada submitted that the ITNE chief had failed to purge himself of the allegation of contempt and they would file a rejoinder to his reply. Allowing the request, the bench adjourned the hearing to a date in office.
Source: Dawn
Date:3/16/2005
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