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Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Faisal Raza Abidi arrested for ‘insulting’ the CJP

News Desk |

Secretariat police on Wednesday arrested Pakistan People’s Party leader and former senator Faisal Raza Abidi after he appeared before the Supreme Court in a contempt of court case.

Currently, there are three cases ongoing against the former senator which pertain to cyber-crime, contempt of court and another registered in the secretariat police station.

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) earlier in another case had also booked Abidi under the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act 2016 in connection to his interview to a web channel.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Azmat Saeed Khosa sought the written reply from Abidi in a contempt case. However, Abidi requested the court to delay the hearing as his counsel was out of the country to perform Umrah.

Contempt of court case was registered against the former senator for using inappropriate words for the chief justice of Pakistan. The complaint was lodged by Shahid Hussain Kamboyo –Public Relations Officer of the Apex Court– in the Secretariat Police Station under Pakistan Penal Code’s sections 228, 500, 505(ii) and 34 along with Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).

Read more: SC rejects PML-N’s Talal Chaudhry’s apology in contempt of court case

Abidi was granted bail till October 11 and was not supposed to be arrested before then. However, another case was filed on Tuesday night by ASI Shaukat Abbasi against Abidi under the same sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act and the secretariat police arrested Abidi for that.

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) earlier in another case had also booked Abidi under the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act 2016 in connection to his interview to a web channel.

Read more: LHC’s ban on anti-judiciary speeches is real despite misinterpretation

According to the FIA, during the course of his appearance on the show, the accused, with criminal intent and ulterior motives and without any lawful justification, used sarcastic, derogatory, disrespectful and defamatory language against the chief justice etc. which it says was tantamount to creating a sense of fear, panic, and insecurity among the government, general public, and society.