The Supreme Court convicted Pakistan s prime minister of contempt on Thursday for refusing to reopen an old corruption case against the country s president, but spared him a prison term in a case that has stoked political tensions in the country.
The ruling against Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani appeared to be a compromise, but could still mean problems for him because he has been convicted in a court. That means he could face dismissal from office in the weeks, or more likely, months to come.
His lawyer said he would appeal the verdict, further delaying any action that could see Gilani lose his job.
Elections are scheduled for later this year or early next, meaning it is quite possible the government could see out its term with Gilani still in charge.
Gilani smiled when the verdict was read out in a packed court house.
The ruling said that Gilani was guilty of contempt but would serve a sentence only "until the rising of the court," or by the time the judges left the chamber. That happened about three minutes after the verdict was handed down.
Gilani is the longest-serving prime minister in the history of Pakistan, where civilian governments have repeatedly been toppled by the country s powerful military, often with the support of the Supreme Court, which critics allege is heavily politicized. Corruption charges have routinely been used to target those in power, or seeking to return.
The source of the current conflict is a graft case against President Asif Ali Zardari that involves kickbacks he and his late wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, allegedly received from Swiss companies when Bhutto was in power in the 1990s. They were found guilty in absentia in a Swiss court in 2003.
Zardari appealed, but Swiss prosecutors ended up dropping the case in 2008 after the Pakistani government approved an ordinance giving the president and others immunity from old corruption cases that many agreed were politically motivated.
The Pakistani Supreme Court ruled the ordinance unconstitutional in 2009 and ordered the government to write a letter to Swiss authorities requesting they reopen the case against Zardari. Gilani has refused, saying the Pakistani constitution grants the president immunity from criminal prosecution while in office.
link: http://dunyanews.tv/index.php?key=Q2F0SUQ9MiNOaWQ9NzczMTg=
since the Prime Minister is convicted now there is no justification to continue as Prime Minister.He should immediatly quite the office in compliance to the order of the
ReplyDeleteSupreme Court.The arguments being given by Mr.Aitzaz in the press confernce are not acceptble after he lost the case.He could not convince the court and now teling baseless stories.
this judgment is very good for this circumstances in our country. I proud of this judgmrnt.
ReplyDeleteif that judgment is gud then Allah hi Haffiz hay Pkaitan ka Meray bhaie Allah Ka khuff kerin insaf sab kay liye hota hay nah kay serif passend nah passend pay hota hay kye kia khyal hay Asgher Khan case main insaf hay jahan ya CJ kahtay hain beyan halfi pay karwie nahi hoo gee ur Memoo Gate main ker lee Shame for it. habiba paper mill pay kia howa kuch tu shrum kerin ap loge insaf ku badnam mat kero kay bad main history likhnee wallay ap ku bayiman aur badiyanat khine waysay bhi lagta hay CJ sab aik anakh say sab ku dekhtay hain
ReplyDeleteif this is gud judgment then Pakistan ka Allah haffiz kia ap batien gay CJ sab say poch kay Asghir Khan case main un ku kia chyeye woh kahta hain kay biyan hallfi pay case nahi banta jab kay memoo gate main tu unoo nee govt ku array hatoon liye hay do biyan halfion pay waysay history kisi ku muwaf nahi kerti woh koi bhi hoo aur han waysay hadiba paper mill kay baray main ap kay CJ sab kia kahtay hain aur apnee Badmasih cousin RANA SUNA-ALLAH kay land mufia kay baray main kia kahtay hain zara you tube search kero tu ap ku pata challay kay woh mosof keetnee sharif hain kye nah sharifoon kay kahs jo hain aur phir Miyan Arsalaan kay karnamay bhi tu pata kerin Ap ku shaid pata nahi kay pakistan kay saray bBankoon ku woh genrator service mahngay damoon deeta hay aik pice kay salan 1 say 2 lac layat hay waysay aur bhi bohat kuch hay jo ap ku kall batoon ga waysay bhi pakistani awam ku koi gella nahi hay kye CJ sab sab ku aik ankh say dekhtay hain
ReplyDelete