ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed former federal minister for law and justice and PPP central leader Babar Awan to submit the defence witness in contempt of court matter till June 27.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Ijaz Afzal and Justice Muhammad Athar Saeed heard Babar Awan’s contempt of court case.
In the last hearing, charges were framed against Babar Awan for committing contempt of court at a press conference held on December 1, 2011 following the constitution of the commission on memo scam.
During the hearing, the accused Babar Awan’s counsel did not appear before the court. Attorney General Irfan Qadir being the prosecutor had submitted the CD of the contentious press conference held at PID to malign the judiciary. On the question of the court Irfan Qadir stated that he had submitted the CD of the press conference as a prosecution evidence.
Babar Awan prayed the court that his trial should be not like that of Aafia Siddiqui. Justice Ejaz, heading the bench, said that Awan’s case had no resemblance with Aafia’s case and that Awan would be given the opportunity to defend himself, adding nothing would be done in hurry.
Babar Awan said that his objection should be brought on record that the press conference was not a contempt of court. He prayed that he should be allowed to plead the case himself. The former minister said that through unconditional apology he tried to find a mid way but the court did not accept his apology.
He said that being a senior lawyer of the country he wanted to maintain the dignity of the court and, therefore, did not prefer the trial of the case and had not pondered upon the defence witnesses. But now he needed at least eight weeks to file the evidences. He said that he has objection on the presentation of the CD as a prosecution witness.
The court however, rejected Awan’s objections to the evidence submitted and adjourned the case’s hearing till June 27.
The former minister was indicted on May 17 for committing contempt and bringing the Supreme Court into hatred and ridicule by defaming and scandalising through his Dec 1, 2011, press conference.
He is facing the contempt charge for his media jibe against judiciary at the press conference soon after the Dec 1, 2011, order of the Supreme Court in which an inquiry was ordered to investigate the memogate scandal by Tariq Khosa.
Awan, along with some cabinet colleagues, had launched a tirade and openly attacked the family of Justice Asif Khosa for being brother of Tariq Khosa.
The former minister twice tendered apology before the Supreme Court, especially to Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, for his utterances in the press conference against the judiciary.