The premier's attorney, Aitzaz Ahsan, prayed in the ICA to set aside court orders for appearance of Gilani before the apex court on February 13 until the appeal was heard, adding that he had premised his appeal on precedents set by top courts in Australia, Britain, France, India and the United States.
Ahsan told media persons he had contended in the appeal that the court in its order on February 2 had cited no specific reason to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the Prime Minister. According to him, he has quoted more than 50 national and international cases to substantiate his contentions in the ICA. He said he had also pleaded in the appeal that the court issued a ruling in the matter without affording Gilani an opportunity to present his defence directly.
The counsel for the premier has raised as many as 54 questions of law in the ICA with a pray to set aside the impugned order, passed by the larger bench of the court, according to which the Premier has been re-summoned for framing of contempt charges. He also submitted that the apex court may recall the show cause notice, served to the premier, in the large interest of the justice.
The bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary, Justice 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 will hear the PM's appeal on Thursday (today).