Justice Athar Minallah, the only judge who dissented in the Supreme Court May 30 ruling on live-streaming of NAB law amendments case, asserted that showing PTI founder Imran Khan live was not a ‘violation of any law’.
In the May 30 hearing, a five-member bench decided in a 4:1 ruling not to stream the proceedings live, with Justice Minallah dissenting from it. The decision was taken on an application by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa advocate general (AG) to live-stream the proceedings.
The top court issued a detailed order on the plea and explained its decision to not live-stream the proceedings of NAB amendments case, stating that these hearings may be used for “political purposes and point scoring”.
The top court judge, in his 13-page long dissenting note released, noted the Supreme Court had declared access of the public to the court proceedings in all cases in matters of public importance through live streaming as a recognised fundamental right guaranteed under Article 19-A of the Constitution.
He referred to the principles enunciated in the case of Justice Qazi Faez Isa, which recognised the right of the public to have access to information in matters of public importance under Article 19-A of the Constitution.
