A two-member bench of the Supreme Court on Thursday indicted former law minister Babar Awan on charges of contempt of court. The bench comprising Justice Aijaz Afzal and Justice Athar Saeed observed that the former minister had committed contempt by uttering remarks ridiculing the apex court and a sitting judge.
The bench said that Awan had ridiculed the court and one of its sitting judges (Justice Asif Saeed Khosa) on December 1, 2011 at a press conference. "The words, tone and tenor of his speech were contemptuous," the bench observed. Awan, however, refused to accept the court's observation. If required, he said, he would present arguments in his defence. Awan contended that at the time of press conference he was a central leader of PPP.
He, therefore, had presented party's stance. "That admittedly, under the orders of a bench, government of Pakistan took position in writing twice which supports me that it was historical point of view of PPP and it was not an individual's," Awan read from a written transcript.
Awan termed court's conduct discriminatory. He asked the Supreme Court why other PPP leaders who were also part of that controversial press conference were not tried for contempt of court. Referring to Qamar Zaman Kaira's pending contempt matter, Awan said that another connected contempt petition relating to the same press conference had been entertained by the SC office. However, he added, there was no reason why petitions in relation to contempt of court should not be heard together.
Awan claimed that the transcript of the press conference which was sent to him through post by the court was incomplete. Awan said that despite his request, no complete copy of transcript was provided to him. Therefore, the charge is based upon incomplete record, according to him.
Awan also objected to the procedure adopted by the court in his case, asking whether it was criminal or civil. Citing Article 10-A, he said that it was necessary to provide a fair trial opportunity to every person. Awan said he stood by an apology that he had already tendered.
At present, he said, there was no law of contempt of court in the country. AGP Irfan Qadir told the court that he had already submitted in prime minister's contempt of court case that there was no contempt law in the country. The bench asked him that he should present his arguments later. The case was adjourned to May 29.