ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) has rejected the Intra Court Appeal (ICA) filed by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani against the verdict of a smaller bench for framing charges of contempt of court against him.
“The appeal is dismissed,” Chief Justice (CJ) Iftikhar Ch
audhry said in court, reading the decision of the eight-member bench.
PM Gilani will now have to appear before the SC on February 13 (Monday) for contempt proceedings.
The CJ on Friday again said he wanted a clear answer on whether the prime minister would write the letter, telling his lawyer: “We are ready to give you 10 minutes to talk to the prime minister on the phone and let us know.”
“I have no mandate to do that,” replied Gilani’s lawyer, Aitzaz Ahsan.
Speaking to reporters outside the court, he confirmed that the prime minister would now appear in court on Monday.
“No one wants unrest. We are exercising restraint,” the CJ observed.
“Tell the prime minister this is not in the interests of the country (to defy the court order),” he told Ahsan.
PM Gilani’s counsel, Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan concluded his arguments today after an extended hearing in the SC before a larger bench. As soon as Aitzaz concluded his arguments, the SC started dictating the order.
An eight-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, heard the appeal. Other members of the larger bench included Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, Justice Tariq Parvez, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and Justice Amir Hani Muslim.
In the ICA moved under Section 19 (1) (iii) of the Contempt of Court Ordinance 2003 in criminal original No. 06/2012, the counsel pleaded the Court to recall order of its seven-member bench and suspend proceedings for framing of charges on February 13 for the larger interest of justice. (KMW NEWS)
