ISLAMABAD, Nov 17: Pakistani Premier Nawaz Sharif today pleaded not guilty to the charge of contempt in an unprecedented appearance by a Pakistan Prime Minister before the Supreme Court.

``I can never imagine contempt of court. I have neither committed contempt of court, nor do I intend to do that,'' Sharif declared in a two-page reply to the show cause notice served on him by the court.

The five-member apex court bench headed by Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, after hearing the arguments of the petitioner and all the respondents, adjourned the case till tomorrow, but exempted the Prime Minister from a personal appearance.

However, similar requests Sharif pleads not guilty from other respondents including Law Minister Khalid Anwar were rejected by the court.

Sharif, who earned the dubious distinction of being the first serving Premier, probably in whole of sub-continent, to have appeared in such a case, was present in the jam packed court room along with his entire cabinet and sat through the nearly four-hour-long proceedings. He remained in his seat even when the bench went for a 45-minute recess for tea.

The petitioner, Chaudhry Mohammad Akram, had alleged that Sharif made contemptuous remarks against the Chief Justice during a recent row with the judiciary over increasing the number of judges in the apex court, a demand later conceded by the government. The atmosphere outside the Court remained charged throughout the proceedings as thousands of supporters of ruling PML chanted slogans in support of Sharif.

Police and security personnel had a trying time when the Prime Minister's convoy emerged out of court, and had to resort to a mild lathi charge in which several people were injured. Sharif in his reply, submitted through his counsel said under the constitution he is obliged to take people into confidence whenever any constitutional, political, economic or law and order situation emerges.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.