Pakistan top court to drop hammer on PM’s fate

ISLAMABAD, April 24: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has set the clock ticking for its final ruling in contempt of court issue against Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Any adverse observation by the Court will have legal and constitutional complication in which Gilani would lose his office. The bench is set to exercise any of its six options which it had already detailed in one of its earlier order.

A special bench headed by one of the senior adjudicators, Justice Nasirul Mulk set April 26, a day for handing over its final finding in non-implementation of its directive for the chief executive to address letters to Swiss authorities for re-opening of alleged $70 million graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

The Court had issued directive on December 16, 2009, by striking down a controversial piece of legislation known as National Reconciliation Ordinance reached between former military dictator Pervez Musharraf and late Benazir Bhutto of PPP.

The legislation was brought about to condone the criminal and civil cases against the PPP leadership and paved the way for return of PPP slain chairperson Benazir Bhutto to Pakistan from self-exile.

The Prime Minister himself and his counsel barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, one of the prominent legal luminary who also orchestrated successfully restoration of judiciary movement after November 3, 2007 proclamation of emergency by Musharraf, have taken stiff stance against writing letter.

They are of the view that their act would tantamount to humiliation of President of Pakistan before a magistrate in Switzerland as he is enjoying constitutional immunity as head of state from being prosecuted in any court.

The march of events have shaped many incongruities between the judiciary and executive, the former restored to their offices with massive public campaign is exerting its independence while the former is eyeing to reap political advantages to net its nose diving popularity.

The dropping of hard hammer by the apex Court could seal the fate of Gilani, one of the close aide of late Benazir Bhutto, and PPP stalwart who had also undergone jail term during military dictator.

The judgement can stock fresh wave of political upheaval in the country which has been facing real challenges of poverty, unemployment, inflation and terrorism. The political adversaries are expecting that the judgement will draw final curtain on the dismal show of allied government, thus paving the way for fresh elections.