Prime Minister all set to appeal against his enactment

Keeping an eye on next month’s Senate polls, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leadership Thursday decided to contest Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani’s case on legal grounds rather than seeking any sort of confrontation with the apex court.

In quite a wise move, the party has decided that Aitzaz Ahsan, the counsel of the Prime Minister, will file an intra-court appeal against the Supreme Court’s February 2 ruling summoning the premier on February 13 to be indicted for contempt of court charges for not writing a letter to Swiss authorities to reopen corruption cases against his boss, President Asif Ali Zardari

According to the media reports, the party’s top brass has made a mind not to publically criticize the higher judiciary rather than to contest the case on legal grounds. It decided to fight its case claiming immunity for President Asif Ali Zardari under the Constitution against all criminal proceedings inside and outside the country.

Earlier, the PM while speaking on floor of the House asked all state institutions to work within their constitutional limits, confirming that he would appear in the Supreme Court on February 13 to face contempt of court proceedings.

“I was summoned earlier and I appeared before the court… now the court has summoned me again and I will appear before it,” he said during his address in the National Assembly. He said if all institutions worked within their ambit defined in the Constitution of 1973, they would earn no criticism.

Aitzaz Ahsen, the legal defender of the premier, while briefing the media confirmed that he would file an intra-court appeal against the indictment. He observed that it was the court’s prerogative whether to suspend the order or not. “This will actually be decided after getting a copy of the order,” he added.

Emphasizing on his earlier stance, he stated that the show-cause notice issued to the prime minister should be discharged. In his view, Gilani acted upon the advice of the law minister and law secretary, which was sent in writing, and thus, did not commit any contempt of court.

Aitzaz maintained that he wanted democracy to prevail and flourish in the country and clash of institutions to end.

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Posted by Faisal Farooq on Feb 3 2012. Filed under National, Pakistan, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.