Babar Awan contempt case hearing adjourned till March 1

The Supreme Court on Monday resumed hearing the case pertaining to contempt of court charges against former law minister Babar Awan.
The two-member bench of the apex court, comprising Justice Ijaz Afzal Khan and Justice Muhammad Azhar, were hearing the case.
Counsel for Babar Awan, Ali Zafar Monday submitted a reply of show cause notice against the former law minister in the Supreme Court.
Ali Zafar took the stance in the reply that judiciary was not criticized in the said press conference. Rather, that was a political press conference which only clarified the allegations leveled by a rival political party. Babar Awan did not ridicule the court during his press conference, he added.
Justice Aijaz Afzal said that no compromise would be made as far as the respect of the court was concerned.
“Should we tolerate this disrespect of the court?” he questioned the defense.
“The defendant suspected of the court’s contempt is not a common man, but a senior lawyer of the Supreme Court,” he added.
The bench would review a video of Awan’s press conference to scrutinize it in the next hearing, which would take place on March 1.
It is pertinent to mention that a show cause notice of contempt of court was issued against Babar Awan on September 1 over a controversial press conference conducted by him regarding a matter related to the Supreme Court while the apex court also suspended his licence to work as lawyer.