ISLAMABAD: During Monday’s hearing of the petitions regarding the memo affair, the Supreme Court directed President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Army Chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani and Director-General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Ahmed Shuja Pasha to submit their statements under oath, DawnNews reported.

The nine-member bench heard 11 petitions, including one filed by PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif.

The apex court also took notice of a press conference held by former law minister Babar Awan on Dec 1 after the its order to form a one-member commission to probe the memo scandal.

The court said Awan had used a government building for his press conference and had criticised the head of the commission.

During the hearing, Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry criticised Awan and remarked that the court’s order was ridiculed in his press conference.

He said that the apex court had always accepted positive criticism on court orders in good faith.

Chief Justice Iftikhar directed Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq to take action against the former law minister, adding that the court would issue an order against the official who organised the press conference.

Moreover, the chief justice said that the prime minster should have taken action against the law secretary over the press conference.

Subsequently, the hearing was adjourned to Dec 22.