SC rejects live streaming of NAB amendment hearing

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court (SC) has rejected the plea for live broadcast of the National Accountability (NAB) Ordinance 1999 amendment case.

 A five-member bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan resumed hearing of the NAB Ordinance 1999 amendment case Thursday. 

Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa heads the five-member bench which also includes Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi. 

Imran Khan appeared in court via video link, dressed in a royal blue shirt and dark blue jeans.

Imran Khan acquitted in two May 9 riot cases

As the hearing was about to start, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa advocate general apprised the court that the provincial government had filed a request seeking a live broadcast of the case.

“This is a case of public interest,” he said.

“This is a technical case and not one of public interest,” CJP Isa said while responding to the KP advocate general’s remarks.

Justice Athar Minallah supported the live streaming of the proceedings of the case.

“The [hearing of] case should be broadcast live since this was the case before as well,” Justice Minallah said during the hearing.

The court then took a break with the judges consulting on the issue of live streaming of the case proceedings.

After the break it was decided that the proceedings would not be aired live.

During the previous hearing on May 16, which wasn’t broadcast live, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) incarcerated founder Imran Khan appeared before the court via video link after the former prime minister expressed his wish to present his own arguments in the case.

However, the ex-PM’s appearance, his first in the apex court since his arrest last year from Zaman Park in Toshakhana reference, didn’t go without controversy as the SC administration announced launching an investigation after his image, while appearing before the court, was leaked on social media.