A lawyer has filed a contempt of court petition in the Lahore High Court's Multan Bench against Mukhtar Mai, Dr Sarwar Bari, Dr Farzana Bari and 10 others for defaming the LHC's judgement in the Meerwala gang rape case. The contempt petition filed by Kanwar Intizar is expected to be heard on Tuesday. The office of the LHC's deputy registrar entertained the contempt petition following minor objections on Saturday.The petition — filed on behalf of Ghulam Mustafa Chauhan — stated that LHC's Multan Bench had acquitted five accused with death sentences and commuted the death sentence of one of the accused into an imprisonment for life sentence. "Charging the court with injustice is a grievous contempt and the respondents demonstrated against the acquittal of five of the accused in the Mukhtar Mai case on several days. The respondents also delivered speeches against the honourable court," petition stated.
Criticising the role of non-government organisations (NGOs), the petition charged them with damaging the impression of Pakistani society abroad through the print and electronic media. "The office bearers of these NGOs have been earning millions of rupees from foreign donors by supplying them sensitive information against Pakistan's national interest by protesting under the garb of injustice to Mukhtar Mai. The NGOs were defaming Pakistan's judiciary in front of the world," it stated.