SC again summons Nawaz Sharif for contempt hearing

“He has to appear”, the Chief Justice said when the request was made by Zafar. The court, however, accepted the request for allowing the Prime Minister to appear before the court after the recess.

Nawaz Sharif had appeared before the court yesterday and in a statement had pleaded that he was not guilty.

The court also asked national assembly secretary to submit expunged remarks in the assembly proceedings on October 29.

Sharif is the first Pakistani Premier to appear before the court in contempt procedure.

On the other hand the upper house of Parliament, the Senate, also passed an amendment in the Contempt of Court Act to give right of appeal against an order in contempt case thus providing a cushion to Sharif in case he was convicted in the case.

The amendment was earlier passed by the national assembly and now it will go to the President for his assent.

The Prime Minister also postponed today’s scheduled address to the nation till tomorrow.

In the meantime, newspaper reports here say that chief of the army, General Jehangir Karamat, is cutting short his trip to Britain and coming back home on Sharif’s request while the Chief Justice held a dinner meeting with the President last night in view of the fast changing situation.