Supreme Court of Pakistan. — Photo by AP

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's counsel, Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, on Tuesday refused to complete his arguments in the contempt of court case against his client by Thursday, DawnNews reported.

The court’s seven-judge bench, headed by Justice Nasirul Mulk, heard the contempt case against the premier.

During today's hearing, the Supreme Court had directed Ahsan to complete the arguments by Thursday.

Ahsan said he was appearing in court despite ill health and that he could not specify as to when he would complete the arguments.

The hearing was subsequently adjourned until tomorrow.

Separately, speaking to media representatives, Ahsan said he had also demanded that the case be forwarded to a separate bench of judges.

He said the Constitution's Article 10-A which guaranteed right to fair trial would require a separate bench to sit on judgment in this case.

Earlier on Monday, Ahsan had argued that the bench’s existing members should not hear the case as that could come into conflict with the aforementioned article.

He had also requested the court to delay its decision on the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) implementation case.

The prime minister was charged with contempt of court on February 13 over the government’s two-year refusal to write to authorities in Switzerland asking them to re-open corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.