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Reference a news item carried by a section of the electronic and print media regarding an informal meeting of the Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan with the Press Association of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on 17.12.2019. Some misleading and out of context news items were aired/published by different TV channels and newspapers, without identifying any source, attributing the following statements to the Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan:
پرویز مشرف کا کیس بڑا واضح کیس تھا۔ چیف جسٹس ذرائع
مشرف کو متعدد مواقع فراہم کئے گئے۔ چیف جسٹس ذرائع
یہ لوگ معاملہ کو طول دینا چاہتے تھے۔ چیف جسٹس ذرائع
ہم اگر جلدی نہ کرتے تو معاملہ کئی سال تک چلتا رہتا۔ چیف جسٹس ذرائع
تاخیری حربوں کے باوجود معاملے کو منطقی انجام تک پہنچایا۔ چیف جسٹس ذرائع
The above news items created an impression that the Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan was personally involved in the progress of the case before the Special Court. It is hereby clarified that different Benches of the Supreme Court of Pakistan had been hearing different aspects of the case of General (Retired) Pervez Musharraf and had passed various orders for early disposition of the said case. For instance CP No.118/2016 (against the judgment dated 09.02.2015 passed by the Islamabad High Court, Islamabad in WP No.3980/15) titled “Abdul Hameed Dogar Vs, Federal Govt. through Secretary Ministry of Interior and 02 others” was heard and decided in the year 2016 by a three member Bench headed by Hon’ble Mr. Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa and comprising of Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and Hon’ble Mr. Justice Tariq Pervez. The Hon’ble Bench had passed the following order: –
“……………………the Special Court is therefore expected to proceed with the trial of respondent No.2 with all convenient dispatch and without any unnecessary delay.”
In another case, Civil Review Petition No.513/14 in Constitution Petition No.14/2013 “Lahore High Court Bar Association Vs General (R) Pervez Musharraf etc.” a three member Bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan headed by the Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan Mr. Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa and comprising of Hon’ble Mr. Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Hon’ble Mr. Justice Muneeb Akhtar had passed the following order on 01.04.2019:
“7. ……………………For the above reasons, the Special Court shall proceed with the trial on the next date of hearing. In case, the accused surrenders and appears before the Court he would be entitled to record his statement under section 342 Cr. PC and lead any other defence under the law. However, in case the accused fails to appear on the next date of hearing, being a proclaimed offender, the Special Court is empowered to proceed against the accused even in his absence under section 9 of the Act.”
The Hon’ble Chief Justice had not issued any direction of any sort to the Special Court other than the judicial directions issued by the relevant Benches of the Supreme Court in the above mentioned cases which already stand published in the law reports of the country.
It is, therefore, clarified that the above mentioned news items aired/published by the media were baseless, concocted, false, stage managed, out of context and contrary to the facts. To ensure accuracy in reporting it is expected that this clarification shall be aired/published with the same prominence as the earlier incorrect news items were carried. It is also expected that accuracy of reporting shall be ensured in future.
