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SC dismisses PML-N leader Sheikh Waseem’s plea against conviction

SC dismisses PML-N leader Sheikh Waseem’s plea against conviction
May 7, 2019
ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The Supreme Court of Pakistan has dismissed PML-N leader Sheikh Waseem’s plea against his conviction on Tuesday. The court also dismissed the appeal of Kasur’s local leader Ahmed Latif against his conviction. The court reduced their sentence from six months to one month, upholding their conviction. They have already served the term. The sentence has been reduced for tendering unconditional apology. Hearing the contempt of court case regarding chanting the anti-judiciary slogans, Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa remarked that the accused are not illiterate, but are responsible figures. He ruled that they cannot interfere in the matter of the Lahore High Court. Both accused continued to seek unconditional pardon during the hearing. On June 29, 2019, the Lahore High Court (LHC) had sentenced PML-N leaders to one-month imprisonment for taking out an anti-judiciary rally and passing statements against judges. A full bench headed by Justice Mazhar Ali Akber had announced the reserved verdict in which former MNA Sheikh Waseem Akhtar, Union Council (UC) Chairman Ayaz Khan, Jamil Khan and Nasir Khan were given prison sentences while ex-MNA Naeem Safdar and Union Council vice chairman Ahmed Latif were acquitted. In its judgment, the high court observed that contemptuous statements were made regarding the judiciary. Earlier, the accused had appeared before the bench and submitted a written apology. However, the bench pointed out several mistakes in the apology, with directives to remove all errors from the apology and resubmit before the bench. The Kasur police had registered a case against more than 80 people, out of which six were identified as members of the PML-N. The police booked them under sections 166, 506, 341, 228 109, 147 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code.