ISLAMABAD: A nine-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry resumed the hearing of the Memogate scandal case on Tuesday, 27 Dec, 2011.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani submitted a reply to the Supreme Court regarding Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Babar Awan’s press conference. In the reply, the prime minister said that the press conference by leaders of his party was not meant to offend the apex court or its judges, and can not be taken as contempt.

The Chief Justice had said that the press conference was very significant in this case.

Attorney General Maulvi Anwar-ul-Haq told the court that the former ambassador of Pakistan to the US, Hussain Haqqani had presented his resignation on November 16 in national interest. The memo exists, the attorney general added, but the government only considers it a ‘piece of paper’.

Moreover, Anwar-ul-Haq added that the Supreme Court should let the parliamentary committee complete its investigation.

The Chief Justice questioned that if the memo was merely a piece of a paper then, what was the task of the ‘parliamentary investigation committee’?

He said the courts cannot just stop working because of the committee and the nation stood united against any compromise on the national security.

The Attorney General said the government was not interested in solving the memo scandal.

However, Justice Shakir Ali said the Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani wanted the fair trial of the memo scandal.

Asma Jahangir, counsel of Hussain Haqqani said that holding Haqqani guilty on the basis of his resignation, is hurting his privilege, as he is innocent until his culpability is proved.

‘Media is proving my client as guilty,’ she added.

Jahangir questioned as to who delegated power to the chief of a secret agency to institute an inquiry against its government.

The court adjourned the hearing of the memo case till Wednesday.