ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned Babar Awan’s contempt case hearing, asking the former law minister to appear before the court today (on Thursday) for the bench to consider his apology. Awan has offered an unconditional apology.
But the court said it will first indict Awan and then consider the apology. During its hearing on April 10, the court had said it will decide whether to frame contempt charges on April 18. Awan was present along with his counsel at the hearing. His lawyer Ali Zafar expressed dissatisfaction over the proceedings, arguing that according to the Contempt of Court Ordinance 2003, the accused can offer an apology at any stage during the trial.
“The process the honourable judges have in mind is not stated in the new law,” Zafar maintained.
He questioned the court’s intentions of framing contempt charges even when the contemnor had offered an unconditional apology.
Justice Ejaz Afzal said the court wanted to make sure the apology was sincere, adding that it was the court’s prerogative to accept it or not.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Ejaz Afzal and Justice Athar Saeed heard the case. The court had issued a notice to Awan for his remarks on the court’s actions regarding the Memogate scandal at a press conference in December last year.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 19th, 2012.
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