Senator Faisal Vawda tendered an unconditional apology to the Supreme Court on Wednesday in his contempt case, stating that he has placed himself at the mercy of the apex court.
“In light of Islamic teachings, I apologize sincerely and unconditionally [and] leave myself at the mercy of the court,” Vawda said in response to the show-cause notice issued by the Supreme Court.
This development follows the Supreme Court’s suo-motu notice of Vawda’s critical press conference against Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges last month. During the press conference, the former federal minister mentioned the names of agencies repeatedly.
“Stop targeting the institutions, enough is enough. If there is any interference by institutions, then provide evidence and we will stand together [against it] […] give evidence and we will stand beside you,” he stated.
Vawda referred to a letter written by six Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), alleging interference by members of the executive, including intelligence agencies, in judicial affairs. The IHC judges who wrote the letter include Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Saman Fafat Imtiaz.
Vawda also requested the IHC disclose correspondence between Supreme Court Justice Athar Minallah and IHC’s Justice Babar Sattar regarding the latter’s green card—a plea that was addressed by the court.
The Supreme Court also issued a show-cause notice to Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Deputy Convener Mustafa Kamal. During the last hearing on June 5, the court rejected Kamal’s request for immediate acceptance of his apology in a contempt suo-motu case, while Vawda had initially refused to apologize for his remarks against the judges.
However, in his four-page reply to the court’s show-cause notice, Vawda requested an end to the contempt proceedings against him and the withdrawal of the show-cause notice. Reflecting on his press conference, Vawda emphasized that he respects the judiciary and had no intention of impugning its dignity or independence.
The former federal minister stated that after the June 5 hearing, he consulted religious scholars regarding his role as a senator and a Muslim in relation to the judiciary. He sought guidance on how he should conduct himself in light of the Holy Quran and Hadith, even when intending to assist the courts in reforming for the betterment of Pakistan.
“The respondent has come to the realization that the maintenance of a good public image and estimation of the judiciary is vital for the judiciary to be able to perform […] and become a beacon of hope and prosperity for the people of Pakistan,” read Vawda’s response to the court.
Vawda expressed deep regret for any harm his press conference may have caused and reaffirmed his commitment to support the judiciary. He also expressed his willingness to take any further steps the court deems necessary and appropriate.
The Supreme Court is set to hear the suo-motu contempt case against Vawda and Kamal on June 28 (Friday).
