Pak SC orders Babar Awan to be indicted on March 20 over contempt of court charges

Islamabad, Mar 8 (ANI): The Pakistan Supreme Court has ordered that former Law Minister Babar Awan will be indicted on contempt of court charges on March 20.

A two-member bench, comprising of Justice Ejaz Afzal and Justice Athar Saeed, was hearing the contempt of court case against Awan.

Awan's counsel, Barrister Ali Zafar, prayed to the court during the hearing that his client did not intend to ridicule the juidiciary during his press conference on December 1, adding that Awan had spoken against a political backdrop.

Awan was served the contempt of court notice after he criticised the Supreme Court, in a press conference on December 1 last year, saying that by ordering the Memo Gate probe, the apex court had denied the right of a bipartisan and bicameral parliamentary committee on national security to hold an inquiry into the scandal.

Meanwhile, the apex court has ordered Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani to write a letter to the Swiss authorities to reopen cases against President Asif Ali Zardari without seeking advice.

The Supreme Court ordered Gilani to inform the court on March 21 after writing the letter.

Meanwhile, the proceedings of the contempt case will continue, the order said. (ANI)