Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of contempt of court case against Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani till April 12 after his counsel Aitzaz Ahsan submitted that he could not advance his arguments in the matter due to ill health.
A seven-member bench of Justice Nasirul Mulk, 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 has been hearing the case. At the outset of hearing, Justice Nasirul Mulk inquired about the health of Ahsan. Ahsan replied that his health had worsened as he took a "heavy medicine dose in pursuance of a suggestion by the court."
During the last hearing of the case on March 26, Ahsan's assistant, counsel Barrister Gohar, informed the bench about Ahsan's inability to appear before the court due to indisposition with a request for general adjournment in the matter for a week. However, Justice Nasirul Mulk advised Ahsan to take a heavy dosage of medicine with a view to ensuring his presence in the court on March 27.
During the proceedings, Ahsan was asked for a time frame to complete his arguments in the case by the court. But he did not give any firm response, saying that he would need "sufficient time" to deliver arguments on Article 10A. Speaking to journalists outside the court room of the apex court premises, Ahsan reiterated his stance that it was not appropriate for those judges who issued show cause notice to Premier Gilani to hear the case. According to him, although the Chief Justice takes a suo motu notice in relation to any case, the trial is conducted by some other judges.
He further said that the contempt of court was the last option and that the court had given six options pertaining to the case. "The court was asked to apply the sixth option according to which the matter will be decided in the Parliament," Ahsan recalled. He stated that if convicted the Premier could be sent to Adyala jail Rawalpindi. The bench adjourned the hearing till April 12.