The conflict between the Federal Government and the Judiciary in Pakistan escalated today, when the Supreme Court temporarily suspended the licence of Babar Awan, a former Law Minister, who was representing the government and President Zardari in several high-profile cases.

The court had issued contempt notices to Awan after he was accused of using what the court held was extremely derogatory language against the judges after the court ordered an inquiry into ‘Memogate’. When the court issued him a contempt notice he again mocked it by reciting a verse.

Awan today pleaded in court that he was looking for a lawyer to represent him and wanted more time. Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, who was presiding over the bench hearing a Presidential reference for revisiting the Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's execution case, noted that Awan had been given ‘enough time’ already.