Pakistan
SCP dismisses suo moto notice against harassment of journalists
Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan dismissed on Thursday a suo motu notice taken by a bench of the apex court against the harassment of journalists.
The SC ruled in a short order that the authority to do so rested solely with the chief justice.
Hearing another matter, a two-member bench of the apex court comprising Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel took up the issue on August 20 when former president of the Press Association of the Supreme Court (PAS), Abdul Qayyum Siddiqui, brought to the court's notice an application over the alleged harassment of journalists.
Justice Umar Atta Bandial read the reserved verdict, saying only the Chief Justice of Pakistan could take suo moto on any issue.
He further observed that the bench could recommend suo moto to the CJ. "The CJ will decide the fate of application filed by the journalists."