The Islamabad High Court has instructed Rana Shamim, former chief justice of Gilgit-Baltistan, to submit his original affidavit which accuses former top judge Saqib Nisar of denying bail to PML-N leaders or face contempt charges.

At a hearing on Tuesday, Justice Athar Minallah warned Shamim that charges will be framed against him if he fails to produce the documents in court by December 13.

Justice (retd) Shamim had claimed in the affidavit, recorded allegedly on November 10, that three years ago the then Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Nisar ordered the lower judiciary to delay the release of Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz until after the 2018 general elections. The contents of the alleged affidavit were published by The News.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah took notice of the report by The News and initiated contempt of court proceedings on November 16.

On November 30, Justice (retd) Shamim appeared for the first time before the IHC

Justice (retd) Shamim told the court that the reporter had called him after the publication of the news item.

He said his affidavit had been sealed in an envelope that laid secure with his family. “I don’t know how it got leaked” to the journalist, he said.

However, the former judge also said he had not seen the affidavit submitted to the Islamabad High Court. “I will have to see what was [in] that [document]” said Justice Shamim.

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