ISLAMABAD (APP): The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday grilled Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Registrar Supreme Appellate Court Niaz Muhammad over non submission of reply in illegal appointments case and issued show cause notice to him.
A three-member SC bench comprising Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan and Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi heard the case, filed by the GB Supreme Appellate Court Bar Association president seeking de-notification of illegal appointments made in the Gilgit Baltistan Supreme Appellate Court.
At the outset of hearing, the court directed Niaz Muhammad to submit reply over show cause notice in two weeks.
The bench asked the registrar to explain why not contempt of court proceedings should be initiated against him. Neither he appeared before the bench, nor he submitted reply over the appointments in GB Supreme Appellate Court, the bench observed.
Advocate Arif Chaudhry, counsel for employees, said the apex court had sought reply from the registrar on previous hearing of the case but he did not submit reply.
Advocate Hamid Khan said the registrar could not appear as he was suffering from the coronavirous. The reply could not be submitted due to fresh appointment of GB Supreme Appellate Court registrar, he added.
The chief justice said the registrar should have complied with the orders of the apex court.
The court issued show cause notice to the registrar and adjourned hearing of the case for four weeks.
