Prime Minister Gilani refuses to write a letter to Swiss authorities and says that it he would rather go to jail

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Thursday he would rather go to jail than obey a court order and ask Switzerland to re-open graft cases against the president. Gilani’s remarks revive speculation that he would rather risk
losing his job than capitulate in a two-year showdown with the judiciary that culminated last month with him being charged with contempt by the Supreme Court.

“If I write a letter it will be a violation of the constitution, which is treason and which carries the death sentence,” Gilani told PhD students in Bahawalpur, with a few in the audience shouting “do not write, do not write”.

“If I don’t write, I will be convicted for contempt, the punishment for which is six months’ imprisonment,” Gilani said. “It’s better to face six months’ imprisonment than face the death sentence.”

The Supreme Court last week ordered PM Gilani to ask Switzerland to reopen corruption cases against Zardari by March 21. It was the first time the court asked Gilani personally to write to the Swiss. It previously addressed repeated
demands to the government since revoking in 2009 an amnesty freezing legal proceedings against key politicians.

Zardari and his late wife, former premier Benazir Bhutto, were suspected of using Swiss accounts to launder about $12 million in alleged bribes paid by companies seeking customs inspection contracts in the 1990s. Playing to the
gallery, Gilani asked the students in Bahawalpur district whether he should write the letter, to which the audience shouted: “No, no.”

“Ok, we will send your message to the court and tell them that they should charge parliament with contempt of court because parliament has given immunity to the president. All heads of state all over the world have this immunity.”

Speaking to media representatives before the convocation the Prime Minister reiterated that the decision about military supplies to Nato/Isaf forces through Pakistan would be taken by parliament in its joint session likely to be
held on March 19.

Speaking to the students at the Convocation of Bahawalpur Islamia University, the Prime Minister said that if he writes the letter he will hit article 6 of the Constitution as an attempt of sedition, which suggests death sentence.

‘If I do not write the letter, I would face six month imprisonment.’ Gilani added. The Prime Minister said he was firm on not taking any unconstitutional step. He said the charges of contempt against him would also undermine the
parliament which gives immunity to the country’s President.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=15950

Posted by Hamza Jahangir on Mar 15 2012. Filed under Latest News, Pakistan, World. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry