Aafia Siddiqui Case: Issue of Contempt of Court Notice to PM and Cabinet Halted

Islamabad: The matter of sending a contempt of court notice to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the federal cabinet in the Aafia Siddiqui case has been temporarily halted.
According to Express News, the Registrar’s office at the Islamabad High Court has put on hold the issue of sending a contempt of court notice to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his ministers. Sources within the Registrar’s office stated that a note had been received from Justice Sardar Ijaz Ishaq Khan’s office on July 16, indicating that a hearing would be held on July 21.
Registrar office sources further revealed that the weekly roster had already been released before the note from Justice Sardar Ijaz Ishaq Khan. As a result, amendments to the roster were required, and a new cause list needed to be issued. The Registrar’s office mentioned that after receiving the note regarding the July 21 hearing from Justice Sardar Ijaz Ishaq Khan on July 16, the matter was referred to the concerned authority. The response from the concerned authority is awaited, and once received, further steps can be taken.
Sources also clarified that the case had not been formally scheduled for hearing, and no order had been passed yet. Therefore, it is unclear how contempt notices could be issued under the current circumstances. The registrar’s office will seek legal advice from the relevant authority regarding this matter.
It is important to note that in the Aafia Siddiqui case, contempt of court notices had been issued to the Prime Minister and his ministers, with the court ordering them to submit their responses within two weeks.