SC discharges contempt notice against MQM chief Altaf Hussain
08 January, 2013
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has accepted Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain's unconditional apology and discharged the contempt of court notice against him.
A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed heard the proceedings of the case pertaining to the contempt of court notice against MQM chief Altaf Hussain.
During the hearing, counsel for MQM Barrister Farogh Naseem tendered the unconditional apology on behalf of Altaf Hussain.
In the apology, Altaf Hussain said he respected the judiciary his entire life and wanted to withdraw the remarks he had made during his December 2 speech, in which he had termed the court's remarks "unconstitutional" and "undemocratic".
In the statement Altaf Hussain stated, "I leave myself at the mercy of the Supreme Court". Following the MQM chief's apology, the court said that it welcomed the move and appreciated it.
The Chief Justice stated that other leaders of MQM Rauf Siddiqui and Dr. Farooq Sattar had also used objectionable language against the judiciary.
Upon which, Barrister Farogh Naseem wrote unconditional apology on behalf of Rauf Siddiqui and Dr. Farooq Sattar. Then the SC accepted the apologies tendered by Barrister Farogh Naseem.
The Supreme Court had issued a contempt of court notice to Altaf Hussain on 14th December stating that he had used objectionable language against the judiciary while addressing a public gathering. The MQM chief had been summoned to appear before the apex court on January 7 to explain his remarks.
Talking to the media outside Supreme Court, Dr. Farooq Sattar said that by offering an apology, the MQM chief has shown a "great deal of statesmanship and greatness." He said that after consulting with the legal team, Altaf Hussain prepared the statement which was submitted before the court.
Talking about the MQM chief's 'political drone' strike, he said that it will be a "pleasant surprise" as it was a tradition of his party to "give pleasant surprises." Moreover, he said that MQM had always struggled to uphold the judiciary and its dignity, and that it respected judiciary's independence. "The fact that MQM has, time and again, spoken for judiciary's independence is not hidden from anyone."
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