ISLAMABAD: Reiterating his stance about presidential immunity, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s counsel, Aitzaz Ahsan, said on Wednesday that the objection he has raised in a contempt case against his client was according to the Constitution.
Supreme Court adjourned the hearing till Thursday.
Speaking to the media on the premises of the Supreme Court, he said that the parliament had the authority to make amends in the Constitution and that it could also reverse or change the court’s decision. However, he said that the government was not planning on doing so at the moment.
“This is not a matter concerning Asif Ali Zardari, this is a matter concerning the president of the country,” he said. “When Zardari’s presidential tenure will end, the court’s decision to write to Swiss authorities for reopening graft cases against Zardari should be implemented.”
Ahsan said that Zardari enjoyed presidential immunity and that the implementation of the court’s ordered is being delayed for the same reason.
During the hearing, Ahsan said that he will prove to the court that the contempt of court law is invalid.
Speaking before a seven-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Nasirul Mulk, Ahsan said that according to Article 10-A of the Constitution every citizen, including the premier, has a right to a transparent trial.
Ahsan said that granting him more time to carry forward his arguments was the Supreme Court’s “responsibility”. Gilani's counsel said that he wanted to raise more points to support his argument for a transparent trial for his client.
Justice Nasirul Mulk told Ahsan that this was not the time for raising objections.
Ahsan said that when the court had initiated the hearing, the premier’s name was not in the case. The court had then issued a notice to him and held him in contempt, giving him no margin to defend himself properly.
COMMENTS (30)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1713264570-0/Tribune-Collage-Feature-Images-(9)1713264570-0-270x192.webp)
Constitutionally only people responsible for all the crimes and corruption are those who can,t afford big lawyers and media conferences.Police can do whatever they want with them without notice of Media ,civil right society.For every big corruption case there are loopholes in law,big lawyers ,media anchors who can twist the ethics whatever way they want and foreign havens to escape as last resort.
sad to see so many one sided comments,like supreem court you hold mr gilani guilty and don't want him to be defended, The courts are not bound to accept mr Aitazaz's arguments. mr Aitzaz is right and PCO judged should do some other useful work. the judges are fighting forvtheir own pride and not for people,they'd be better off mindi g the business of providing justice to peole
Mr Ahsan is very right when he ask SC to send the Presidential Immunity law to parliament if court have doubts and seek better wording or an amendment.
No matter how much you try you cant mix two different things in one go, to budge and blur two different stature was not a fair shot,Nice try Mr Ahsan.
Mr. Ahsan, will you be counsel for these two on the JUDGEMENT DAY as well ?
Dear Mr Ahsan we know you are tring heard but i dont think that you will get some thing out SHARIF COURTS.
Mr. Aitzaz think for a while one day you will have to answer Almighty Allah about your deeds. Why you are accumulating sins in your account.
How crazy v are.. We can’t let down the person we loved most as he worked hard to reinstate the judiciary in its current position.. Now judges come with preoccupied single mindedness n hear the arguments just for the sake of formality.. Why? Are these PCO judges ll again want to prove that once pco judge forever pco judge? N m convinced that freedom of speech doesn’t mean to put comments without any logic.. What do u thinks why all the judicial movement heroes are not speaking in favour of current judiciary...? Do think over it...
bring back the uniform.
I am really surprised that hitherto he has not blamed Sharifuddin Pirzada for his failure in the prosecution of this case. He should take back his letter which he wrote four years ago blaming Mr Pirzada for the same thing, which he is doing now.
Aakhir gil apni sarf-e-dar maikada hoi Pohnchi wahin pay khaak jahan ka khameer thaa.
He was my idol and now he is on my list of most hated persons of this world :)
Gillani say no one can make him accountable because he is elected by 160 million people. Same stands for Zardari.. This is no Democracy but a Totalitarian government. We all need to watch "V for Vendetta" one more time! I feel so helpless when I cant do anything when I hear statement like these. So much is the gap between an ordinary man and the so called elected leaders.
So our Politician cum lawyer has shown his worth, at last the wolf is out of sheep clothing. Now where should we go. The leadership crisis deepens, on one hand we have same old politicians with no character and integrity on other hand there is Imran Khan, who is claiimig which seems to beyond his reach as he has not overcome his own Party bickering. I think best option is to give Pakistan on contract to USA or British, when they will straightened out things like before then we will take over and take another 50 years to destroy it.
@mentelisco:
Now that he is defending someone you don't like, you're going to say he's doing it for personal gain? The President has immunity. Therefore, they won't violate the Constitution by writing that letter. The Supreme Court could ask him to shoot someone, but he won't. Why? Because it is against the law.
Senate ticket is working
It is hard to judge the intellectual capacity of a person until he speaks.... and now Mr. Aitizaz Ahsan is speaking. Lets all listen to him carefully and learn great lessons. I regret the moments i thought Aitizaz as Hero.... he is not even at the level of Hero Motorcycle or a filmy hero. Be a Man and value the values and principles and dont decieve yourself (atleast).
Now we understand his motive behind to remove Pervez Musharaf ...fooled millions of people in order to become a Senator...Mr.Aitazaz u should also consider your age ...where u will take the money..have mercy on people of Pakistan...stop protecting the corrupts ...
Aitezaz you are defending Gillani and Zardari... And Nation hates you for this
Blah Blah Blah....
Dont even want to see this hypocrite's face, let alone the thrash he speaks.
I think only the PTI IT team is working full time, rest of the parties have little time for web commentaries.
Aitzaz Ahsan has thrown his life time earned respect in the dustbin for the sake to two people: Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and Asif Ali Zardari. This nation and history will never forgive Aitzaz for what he is doing today !
M. RAFIQUE ZAKARIA Karachi.
Aitizaz knows that he can not defend this case and thats why harping on competancy of the court. After losing the case he will start rattling and mumbling that he already had said that this court can not deliver the verdict. Basically he has joined the club of those who wish to bring disrepute to the Courts and the justice system. But-- he has done himself the greatest damage and that is, he has lost the respect of people of Pakistan (May be now he is respectful in the eyes of Mr. Zardari till he gets booted out like Babar Awan)
shame shame @ aitzaz
I had respect for this man, in the end all are in this for their personal gains.
Great Ahsan Sb, You have realized very soon, that evenly the law is invalid. Please do show your card, how you will justify this statement sometime in future. As the government will now go for a petition against the judges who have issued a notice based on an invalid law. My point of concern is that, you might got the case of the judges who have issued such bogus notice to the premier. Geo Bhuttooooo (I am expecting your pix on currency notes soon)
Aitzaz Ahsan talks politics inside the court, and law when he's on the television.
Please carry out this drama till the next election. Nation is sleeping noone disturb you.
Mr Aitizaz. For heaven sake you are answerable to Allah.