ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court again deferred the framing of contempt charge against former law minister Babar Awan for his remarks ridiculing the judiciary.

On Tuesday, the court had to explain reasons for choosing to proceed against the accused despite his written apology.

A two-judge bench comprising Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and Justice Athar Saeed postponed the indictment because Mr Awan’s counsel was not present in the court.

Mr Awan is facing the contempt charge for his media jibe against the judiciary. He severely criticised the apex court at a press conference on Dec 1 last year soon after it had ordered an inquiry into the memo scandal by Tariq Khosa, a former director general of the Federal Investigation Agency, and attacked a sitting SC judge for being a brother of Mr Khosa.

On April 10, Mr Awan formerly tendered an apology to the Supreme Court, especially to Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, brother of Tariq Khosa, for his utterances against the judiciary.

On Tuesday, Mr Awan said the framing of charge in the absence of his counsel would mean denying him due process like it was done to former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto by Justice Maulvi Mushtaq.

He said it was a matter of concern that the court ignored politicians when they said something, but indicted a lawyer when he said similar things.

He said his counsel was not available till May 8 and, therefore, the court should adjourn the matter.

But the court rejected his plea and decided to frame the contempt charge on Thursday.