ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday adjourned the hearing of contempt of court case against former federal law minister Babar Awan till February 20.

Babar Awan, who appeared before the three member bench headed by Justice Asif Khosa, said that his statement in the press briefing was not intended to subject the court to ridicule. He pleaded to the court to adjourn the hearing till Feb 20 as his counsel Ali Zafar was abroad and would return by Feb 13, while he would have to travel to Lahore on Feb 16 to submit his papers for the Senate Elections.

On hearing his arguments, the three-member bench adjourned the hearing till Feb 20.

During the previous hearing, Ramzan Chaudhry, appearing before the court on Awan's part, had said that the PPP leader is in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah and would return on February 3, requesting the court to grant Awan further time to submit his reply against the notice.

The court, accepting the plea, had adjourned the hearing until Feb 9.