Presidential immunity can be termed 'discriminatory': Aitzaz

Aitzaz Ahsan says federal government can write letter if President Asif Ali Zardari resigns.

LAHORE: Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, PPP stalwart and prime minister’s counsel in the contempt of court case, has reiterated his stance on the immunity given to the president by the Constitution.

When asked about Article 248 of the Constitution, which gives immunity to the president is a discriminatory law, Ahsan said that it can termed as one, however, the article cannot be removed without a constitutional amendment.

“The immunity is not for a person, it is for the post... The very next day the president resigns, the federal government can write a letter against him,” he added.

Ahsan had been requested to represent Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani after the premier was issued a contempt of court notice by the Supreme Court over not writing a letter to Swiss authorities to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

Since the issuance of the contempt notice, the lawyer has been of the view that the president enjoys immunity all over the world, and thus the prime minister did not go against the court’s orders by not writing the letter.

This stance was put forward both by Gilani and his counsel during the hearing of the case on January 19 in the Supreme Court.

When asked about Article 248 of the Constitution, which gives immunity to the president is a discriminatory law, Ahsan said that it can termed as one, however, the article cannot be removed without a constitutional amendment.

“The immunity is not for a person, it is for the post... The very next day the president resigns, the federal government can write a letter against him,” he added.

Ahsan had been requested to represent Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani after the premier was issued a contempt of court notice by the Supreme Court over not writing a letter to Swiss authorities to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

Since the issuance of the contempt notice, the lawyer has been of the view that the president enjoys immunity all over the world, and thus the prime minister did not go against the court’s orders by not writing the letter.

This stance was put forward both by Gilani and his counsel during the hearing of the case on January 19 in the Supreme Court.