Pakistan PM looses appeal against contempt charge
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, Feb 10, IRNA -- Pakistan Supreme Court rejected on Friday an appeal by Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani he filed last week against appearing before the apex court on contempt charges, his defence lawyer said.
Mr Gilani will now appear before the court on February 13 to be formally charged with failing to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari, barrister Aitzaz Ahsan said.
'Our appeal has been rejected,' Ahsan told the media after the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, who headed an eight-member bench of the Supreme Court, rejected Gilani's the review appeal.
Legal experts are of the opinion if convicted, the Prime Minister may face prison and loose his parliamentary seat and a five-year ban from holding any public office.
The Prime Minister and his ruling Pakistan Peoples party have refused to write to Swiss authorities to reopen a corruption case against President Zardari. They argue that the President Zardari enjoys immunity under the constitution as head of state.
The ruling party also claims that the corruption charges are politically motivated.
The Prime Minister appeared before the Supreme Court on January 19 and was notified on February 2 to appear again next week.
He had filed appeal on Wednesday and defence lawyer, Aitzaz Ahsan had argued that his Supreme Court appearance on February 13 should be cancelled until a decision on the appeal had been delivered.
The defence lawyer did not give any indication during his two-day arguments before the court that the government will write to Swiss officials.
**2050
Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30810643
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
