Pakistan PM files appeal in court contempt case
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, Feb 9, IRNA -- Pakistan Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani Wednesday filed an appeal against a Supreme Court’s order of summoning him in contempt of court proceedings, his defence lawyers and court officials said.
Prime Minister Gilani is facing contempt of court charges for refusing to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.
The Supreme Court had ordered reopening of all corruption cases against the President and thousands of others, who had been given amnesty under a law in 2007.
The court cancelled the National Reconciliation Ordinance or NRO in 2009. The NRO had been issued by former military President Pervez Musharraf under a deal with slain Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
The apex court last week summoned Prime Minister Gilani to appear on February 13 to frame formal charges against him.
Hours after the court issued his production order, the Prime Minister announced in the parliament that he would appear before the court. He also appeared last month when he was summoned by the Supreme Court for his statement in the contempt case.
On his first hearing the Prime Minister defended his government’s action not to reopen corruption cases against the President Asif Zardari as he argued the President enjoys immunity from prosecution.
The Supreme Court had ordered the Government to write a letter to Swiss authorities for opening graft cases there.
The country’s anti-corruption institution had earlier said that millions of dollars have been transferred to Swiss banks and must be returned.
Opposition parties allege that leaders of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party has foreign bank accounts.
Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, Defense lawyer for the Prime Minister Wednesday file appeal in the Supreme Court, requesting suspension of its earlier appeal of framing formal charges against his client. He said he has also called for halt to the court’s proceedings unless verdict on the review appeal.
He told the media that he has challenged the Court’s order, citing nearly 50 judgments of national and international jurisdictions.
He said he has also appealed for hearing the appeal before February 13 so the Prime Minister does not need appearance. He said he had requested 39 days for filing a review appeal but only 11 days had been given by the court for the review appeal.
The 54-point appeal also called for review of the apex court’s order, the court officials said.
Ahsan said that he has also called for withdrawal of the show cause notice to the Prime Minister. He said a nine-member bench will be formed to give verdict on the review appeal.
The Supreme Court’s Registrar Office will look into to the legal aspects of the appeal before it is submitted to the seven-member bench hearing contempt charges against the Prime Minister.
Legal experts are divided over the status of the review appeal in the contempt proceedings. Some are of the view that no review appeal could be filed as a seven-member bench of the apex court had unanimously issued the contempt notice to the Prime Minister. But other are the opinion that the Prime Minister has the write of a review appeal.
The experts say that a person found guilty of contempt of court can face a six-month jail term. A member of the parliament could be deprived of membership, they argue. A lawmaker can also face a five-year ban from holding any public office if charged in contempt proceedings.
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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30808147
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