KHUDAYAR MOHLA

ISLAMABAD: Maryam Nawaz’s recent tweets on Panama revelations do not come under the purview of contempt of court or an attempt to influence it, lawyers told this correspondent.

Former Vice President of the Supreme Court Bar Association Ikram Chaudhry however stated that, “In my personal view such tweets do not fall within the purview of contempt laws but it was not a fair comment and I would term it as malicious criticism through interpreting the verdict with the objective of misleading the public at large”.

In a recent tweet, Maryam Nawaz stated that Panama Papers were never about corruption and the stealers & hackers (read originators) didn’t say it was, adding that losers (are) in imminent danger. This led to a response tweet by two Pulitzer Prize winning journalists associated with the International Council of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) who informed her that the Panama papers led to 150 cases in 80 countries.

Ikram Chaudhry further said that tweets and counter tweets are damaging the rule of law and constitutional future of Pakistan and its institutions.

Talking to Business Recorder, Vice Chairman of the Pakistan Bar Council Muhammad Ahsan Bhoon maintained that Maryam Nawaz presented her personal opinion through her tweets subsequent to the verdict of the five-member bench in the Panama Papers case, and not contempt of court.

Bhoon however urged Maryam Nawaz to restrain from commenting on Panama papers as the matter was sub judice.