SC resents non-appearance of channel’s CEO

ISLAMABAD: While expressing annoyance on the absence of CEO of private
TV channel (ARY TV) Salman Iqbal in the contempt of court case despite
court order the Supreme Court remarked that it seemed that he (CEO)
was not taking the court seriously.

The three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Ejaz
Ahmad Chaudhry, heard the case on Monday. The anchorperson of ARY
Mubashir Lucman appeared in the court, but his counsel Irfan Qadir was
not present. On this occasion, advocate on record, told the court that
Irfan Qadir did not come due to illness of his close relative. He said
that decision of intra court appeal was not received yet; therefore,
the court should give time to them.

The court remarked that in the last hearing both persons (CEO Salman
Iqbal and anchorperson Mubashir Lucman) were directed to appear
in-person in the court, but despite that Salman Iqbal did not appear.
On this, the ARY bureau chief told the court that Salman Iqbal arrived
in Pakistan Sunday from abroad; therefore, he could not appear in the
court.

On this, Justice Ejaz Ahmad Chaudhry expressed anger and said that it
seemed that your CEO was not taking the Supreme Court seriously. He
said that the case could not be run in such way; Irfan Qadir should
appear and give his arguments so that the case could be disposed of.

Mubashir Lucman sought unconditional apology from the court on the
absence of Salman Iqbal and pleaded to fix the date of the case after
November 30 because the roads of Islamabad are being blocked which
might create problem to reach the court.The court adjourned the
proceeding of indictment on Salman Iqbal and Mubashir Lucman till
December 1 and ordered both of them to appear in the court.

Source : The News