Intra-party consultations: PPP set to appeal indictment

Party leaders have one eye on the Senate elections.

ISLAMABAD:

With one eye firmly fixed on next month’s Senate elections, the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party’s leadership has decided to contest Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s contempt case in the Supreme Court – and not seek any sort of confrontation with the judiciary. 

After the court summoned the PM on February 13, the government’s current go-to man in legal matters, Aitzaz Ahsan, is likely to file an appeal in a few days.

Sources in the PPP said that the party high command has advised its cadres not to resort to public rhetorical attacks against the assertive judiciary.

Rather, the PPP will fight its case in court with all its might, arguing that President Asif Ali Zardari enjoys immunity under the Constitution against all criminal proceedings inside and outside the country.

Most of the party’s leaders remained tight-lipped when approached to comment on Thursday’s court proceedings. However, during informal interactions, the majority said that the government was being squeezed by the judiciary.

“We have a right to go for a review, as has been mentioned by the counsel of the PM,” the PPP leader said. “One should not forget that after the 18th Amendment that right of a fair trial has been recognised as basic right of every citizen under clause 10A of the Constitution.”

The PPP leader was not sure if the government would comply with the court and write a letter to the Swiss authorities, but said that, if it ever happened, it would be the last option, as the party will not give up easily.

Their focus also seems to be the Senate elections.

“Right now we have next month’s Senate elections as a top priority. We want to secure our majority in the upper house first. The legal team has also been asked to chalk out a strategy accordingly,” a central leader from the PPP said.

The elections for 54 Senate seats are due to take place on March 2. The PPP, with its current strength in provincial legislatures, is confident about securing the maximum seats to make it the single largest party in the house.

There were some unconfirmed reports that, after the court’s decision, Aitzaz gave a briefing to leaders of the allied parties on the implications of the order. However, the PM’s spokesperson denied this.

The allies of the ruling party have been sitting on the fence when it comes to the issue of the court order on implementation of the NRO verdict. Some have even suggested that the government should not confront the court and write the letter to defuse the situation.

The PPP core, however, feels that this would be political suicide.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 3^rd, 2012.