Contempt Case should be sent to another bench: Aitzaz

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) has adjourned the contempt of court proceedings against Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani till Monday morning, Geo News reported Thursday.

During today's proceedings, PM Gilani's counsel Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan continued his arguments over Article 10-A and stressed on the point that the judges who initiated the trial cannot conduct proceedings.

The bench issued the notice and now it should send this case to any other bench, Aitzaz said. Clarifying some media reports about his comments over the judges/bench, he said his party has complete trust in them.

A seven-member bench of apex court headed by Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk and comprising Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany, Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Justice Gulzar Ahmed And Justice Muhammad Ather Saeed heard the case.

Justice Asif Khosa said to Aitzaz that these are not the proceedings he pointed out with respect to Article 10-A. 'A judge issues a Show Cause notice and asks the contemnor that why not the case be initiated against you. It is wrong to say that the court has decided to punish your client.'

The counsel said his comments about Yousuf Raza Gilani being a ‘peer-o-murshad and gaddi nasheen’ [patron and custodian of a shrine] were distorted by a section of the media, ‘I am not seeking any favour in this context,’ Aitzaz argued.

Contempt of Court Ordinance 2003 is in conflict with Article 10-A of the Constitution, Aitzaz said upon which Justice Sarmad asked that do you want this Ordinance to be declared void.

Justice Ejaz Afzal noted that the proceedings could not be conducted if the issue of prejudice is raised too much. Aitzaz contended that this is not a matter of personal like or dislike but of fair trial.

Later, the counsel requested the court to adjourn the hearing till next month but the learned bench agreed to resume proceedings from Monday 09:30 am.