The Supreme Court on Friday granted more time to former law minister and senior lawyer Babar Awan to engage a lawyer to defend him in a contempt of court case.
A two-member SC bench comprising Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and Justice Muhammad Ather Saeed had taken up a contempt of court case against Awan.
Appearing on notice, Awan requested the court to grant him more time to engage a counsel. He said he deemed it appropriate to appear before the court along with his counsel. He said he also wanted to file his reply to the contempt notice through his lawyer.
The court granted him until February 2 to engage a lawyer, observing that, “We hope he will behave with caution in the meantime”.
“What have you been doing for so many days?” Justice Saeed asked Awan, who replied, “I have some responsibilities to shoulder as I am parliamentarian… I am not going anywhere”, he said.
Earlier on January 4, the court had issued contempt of court notices to Awan and another four PPP leaders, including two sitting ministers for holding a ‘contemptuous’ press conference at the Press Information Department, which had categorically rejected the Supreme Court’s December 1, 2011 decision in the ‘memo’ case.
Just after being served the notice, Awan again spoke to the media and recited a couplet in Punjabi meaning that “nothing happened despite issuance of a notice. Why complain to the darling and not welcome it”.
On January 5, the court abruptly put off the hearing of the presidential reference for revisiting the death sentence awarded to former prime minister and PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and issued another show cause notice to Awan, asking him to explain and file a reply until January 9 explaining why his licence to practice law at the Supreme Court should not be cancelled for ridiculing the SC time and again.
On January 9, the court had adjourned for an indefinite period the hearing of the contempt case due to the demise of father of Justice Nasirul Mulk, a member of the 11-judge bench, hearing the presidential reference for revisiting the death sentence awarded to former prime minister and PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
Besides, Awan, the contempt notices were issued to Minister for Religious Affairs Khurshid Shah, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan and Adviser to Prime Minister Farooq Awan for addressing the controversial press conference.
