Pakistan Supreme Court issues contempt notice to Gilani news
16 January 2012

The Pakistan Supreme Court today issued a contempt notice to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani for failing to reopen graft cases against president Asif Ali Zardari. The court has asked him to appear personally before it on 19 January.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza GilaniA seven-judge bench led by justice Nasir-ul-Mulk today began hearing the case related to the apex court's orders for reopening high-profile graft cases against Zardari and over 8,000 others. (See: Zardari vows to battle on as Pakistan President)

The bench directed Gilani to appear in person in court and explain why contempt proceedings should not be started against him for deliberate non-compliance with the court's orders.

According to the bench, the Supreme Court had issued directions to the government several times on the implementation of orders regarding the reopening of graft cases. The government, however, had chosen not to act on the orders, it contended.

The court criticised Gilani for not obeying its orders to reopen an old money laundering case against President Zardari. The government on its part has said Zardari is immune from prosecution, being the president of the country.

Gilani could lose his seat in parliament and his position as prime minister if he is convicted by the country's top court.

The court's order, according to analysts is likely lead to a fresh confrontation between the government and the judiciary at a time when the ruling Pakistan People's Party was engaged in an acrimonious stand-off with the military over the memogate scandal.

The court is hearing a controversial anonymous memo seeking US help to avert an army coup in Pakistan, after the killing of Osama Bin Laden in May 2011, which is also likely to add to tensions.

A Supreme Court-appointed panel is also investigating the memogate issue and held a hearing today that failed to reach a conclusion.

The Supreme Court's order came after the government's top law official said it had not received any instructions regarding the order to reopen the corruption cases.

The court rebuked attorney general Anwar-ul-Haq over his failure to present the government's response to its orders directing the government to write to Swiss authorities to reopen cases of alleged money laundering against president Zardari.

According to analysts, Pakistan may be in for a turbulent phase with the government and the army in a stand-off.

Analysts say Gilani can continue as prime minister even as the court proceedings got under way.

The case against him concerns the government's refusal to act on a recent Supreme Court order quashing a controversial amnesty, that protected the country's senior politicians from corruption prosecutions.

The deadline for the government to reopen the cases expired on Monday.





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Pakistan Supreme Court issues contempt notice to Gilani