ISLMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) has issued Show Cause notices to Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders including Senator Babar Awan, Khursheed Shah, Firdous Ashiq Awan, Qamar Zaman Kaira and Farooq Awan in the contempt of court case.
On December 1, after the initial hearing of Memogate scandal at the SC, the PPP ministers held a press conference at the Press Information Department.
The SC had taken notice of the aggressive press conference. During today’s proceedings, Attorney General read out the statement by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in response to Dec 1 conference.
The court has summoned the ministers on January 13 saying that the conference had many aspects that are considered as contempt of court.
In the press conference held on Dec 1, PPP rejected the formation of a commission formed by SC to probe Memogate. The PPP leaders said Nawaz Sharif and his party had attacked democracy while hiding behind institutions.
“We respect the courts but the verdict to constitute a commission to probe the memo issue was given without hearing the federation of Pakistan and giving notice to it. Nawaz Sharif wants confrontation among institutions,†PPP Senator Babar Awan said. He said only an executive could create such a commission.
Information Minister Dr Firdous Aashiq Awan, Syed Khurshid Shah and Qamar Zaman Kaira were also present on the occasion.
During the press conference, Dr Firdous said something unique happened on Constitution Avenue where the staff of the Supreme Court gave protocol to Nawaz Sharif, the “VIP petitioner†of the memo case while others with him were also allowed to enter the premises of the court without invitation cards.
Babar Awan said the government would neither surrender the supremacy of parliament nor the authority.
