Swiss officials say graft cases can’t be reopened against Zardari

The Swiss authorities have informed Pakistan government that cases against President Asif Ali Zardari cannot be reopened, the Law Minister said Saturday.

Pakistan had sent the letter to Swiss authorities in November 2012 weeks after Pakistan’s top court ordered the government to send a letter to the Swiss authorities to reopen graft cases against President Zardari.

The letter, sent after years of tension between the government and the judiciary, sought withdrawal of a letter previously sent to the Swiss authorities for closing graft cases against Zardari.

The letter had sought withdrawal of a letter written on May 22, 2008 by then attorney general Malik Qayyum to the Swiss authorities that Pakistan was no longer interested in pursuing graft charges against Zardari and his late wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, following the promulgation of a controversial amnesty law by former President Pervez Musharraf.

The Supreme Court, however, scrapped the National Reconciliation Ordinance in 2009 and declared that all cases closed under the defunct law stood open.

Law minister Farooq H Naek confirmed on Saturday that the Swiss authorities had responded to letters written by the Pakistan government last year on the instructions of Supreme Court.

Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira welcomed the Swiss decision and said the decision of the Swiss government has endorsed the stance of the government.

The apex court disqualified Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani in June last year after convicting him of contempt for refusal to write to the Swiss authorities.

The government of Pakistan People’s Party and the judiciary had been involved in a row over the government refusal to reopen investigation into graft cases against Zardari as the president enjoys immunity.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=38112

Posted by Tahir Khan on Feb 9 2013. Filed under Latest News, 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.