Contempt of court: SC extends deadline for Awan’s reply

Former law minister tells court he wants to engage a counsel.


Express January 14, 2012

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has given former law minister Dr Babar Awan until February 2 to file a reply in a contempt of court case against him.

After Awan said he wanted to hire a lawyer to present his reply to the court, a two-member bench, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, on Friday allowed him an extension.

Awan said he was hiring a counsel because he was also busy in politics as a parliamentarian. He assured the court that he would not shy away from the proceedings and would file a reply.

On December 1, after the Supreme Court ordered the formation of a commission to probe into the Memogate case, Awan addressed a press conference where he used, what the court said was ‘extremely derogatory’ language.

Later, the apex court, during the hearing of the Memogate case, also asked the prime minister to submit a reply. The prime minister had owned up the remarks made during the press conference, saying that Awan was referring to developments in an historical perspective.

The court had issued two notices of contempt to Awan, who is also a lawyer, warning him of the cancellation of his licence.

Justice Athar Saeed asked Awan if he had already engaged a counsel, or if he was in the process of doing so. The judge said he hoped Awan would be more careful in the future.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 14th, 2012.

COMMENTS (4)

Sultan Ahmed | 12 years ago | Reply

Without any reason, using derogatory language, rift is being extended deliberately. why,not understandable, should adopt some right way leading to peaceful direction so that all the stake holder may assemble on one page.

Babar H. | 12 years ago | Reply

Why not! If the SC decides most of the Quarrals easily lets save the Election Day expenses and let the Supreme Court decide who is a Winner! After all all leaders in reality are loosers in the eyes of voters anyway why don't just waste less money on streets by using some "legal strategic wrestling" in court. I think those days are not far when Pakistan leads U.S in all sorts of lawsuits from land, water share to local election outcomes.

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