Pakistan’s embattled Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was on Monday indicated by the Supreme Court for contempt of court over his refusal to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.
A seven-member bench of the Supreme Court said that Gilani was given two years to act on its repeated orders to revive cases of alleged money laundering against Zardari in Switzerland but he failed to comply.
All the judges on the bench concurred with the charges and signed the chargesheet. 59-year-old Gilani, who was personally present in the court, was asked whether he understands the charge against him, to which Gilani said, “I have done no wrong.”
Gilani refused to accept the charges and maintained that President Zardari enjoy immunity. Importantly, the Prime Minister was asked to stand on the rostrum as the charges were read out against him.
Pak SC indicts Gilani for contempt of court
Meanwhile, the hearing on the contempt case has been adjourned till February 27. PM Gilani has been exempted from appearing in person during the next hearing.
Also, the Attorney General has been asked by the court to submit relevant documents by February 16.
On February 22 and 27, the prosecution and defence would put up evidence.
According to Pakistani channel Geo News, the trial in the case would start on February 28.
With Gilani refusing to bow down, the stage is set for a protracted battle in the court. Gilani is the first Prime Minister of Pakistan to have been indicted for contempt of court.
The Prime Minister had, earlier too, appeared in the court when it took up the contempt case on January 19 and said the government could not reopen the cases against the President because he enjoys complete immunity in Pakistan and abroad.
Refusing to buy his arguments, the SC told Gilani that he had no option but to write to Swiss authorities to revive graft cases against Zardari as no one was above the law.
Pak SC indicts Gilani for contempt of court
If Gilani is convicted, he could be imprisoned for six months and face possible removal from office after being disqualified from holding public office for five years.
Pakistan’s I&B Minister Firdaus Ashiq today backed PM Gilani, saying the Constitution provides immunity to President Zardari.
However, legal experts pointed out that the President had the power to pardon him after his conviction. SM Zafar, a noted lawyer and parliamentarian, said such a presidential pardon would apply only to the punishment handed down by the court while the conviction would remain on record.
Therefore, the premier could be disqualified despite the pardon, he remarked.
The apex court has been pressuring the government to reopen the cases since December 2009, when it struck down the National Reconciliation Ordinance, a graft amnesty issued by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf that benefited Zardari and over 8,000 others.