ISLAMABAD - The Islamabad High Court has issued its written judgment rejecting a petition to initiate contempt proceedings against former chief justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary for not following court orders regarding recovering of additional financial privileges from him.
A single bench of IHC comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani issued its written verdict in this matter and turned down the same.
Justice Kayani noted in the judgment that the court had not directed to recover financial perks extended to the former chief justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Chaudhary. Instead, he clarified, that the federal government had been directed to see the matter as per the law.
The petitioner had claimed that the law ministry was not recovering the extra-financial perks used by the former chief justice. Hence, contempt of court proceedings should be started. Last year, after Justice Kayani’s directions, the former CJP had returned his government-provided bulletproof car.
During the hearing, Justice Kayani has asked whether the court’s decision was on-field or not. At this, the lawyer Hanif Rahi had told the court that while their decision was on-field, but the former top jurist has yet to return the additional security and perks.
Then, deputy attorney general had informed the court that the court’s decision regarding withdrawal of the state-provided bulletproof car has been implemented, however, the court did not order recovery of the vehicle.
At this juncture, the court had asked whether it had asked to recover the vehicle? Rahi told the court that the former CJP had been deemed ineligible for the perks.
The court observed then the car has to be returned along with the perks which the law ministry estimates at Rs4 million and that the public money spent needs to deposited into the national exchequer.
The court asked whether the law ministry had been approached to implement the verdict. Rahi replied that they had approached the ministry but the court’s orders to the extent of perks and security could not be implemented.
After hearing the arguments, the court had reserved its judgment.