“I will go there and I will present my stance before the court,” Gilani told reporters in Lahore on Friday.
The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered Gilani to appear before it on February 13, to be indicted with contempt for failing to pursue corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.
He said the matter was “sub-judice” and he should not comment on the issue, but added that he “will respect the court order” and reiterated his opposition on a conflict between state institutions.
Justice Nasirul Mulk told the court on Thursday that there were grounds to proceed against Gilani over the government's refusal to follow a court order and ask Swiss authorities to re-open graft cases against President Zardari. Switzerland shelved the cases in 2008, when the president took office.
The government argued that President Zardari has immunity from prosecution while head of state and accused judges of plotting with the military to wage a witch-hunt against him.
The prime minister told parliament late Thursday he will appear in court. “I have attended the court when summoned in the past and I will attend again now,” he had said, adding that “everybody should follow the constitution”.
Asked why he had not written letters to Swiss authorities despite repeated SC rulings, he said that since the matter was in court, his lawyer will respond to the court.
When queried over whether the memogate issue has been defused, he said that “the nation has to wait a few days”.
Asked whether he believed the courts were trying to stop Senate elections, he said that for the past six months, many elements had been trying to halt the polls but all hidden conspirators will be unmasked soon.
Asked about early general elections, he replied, “The time for Senate elections is approaching and definitely they will be held in March, following which the fifth budget will be presented and after that if political parties desire for general elections then I will speak to them.”
Regarding Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s statement that the federal government had hatched a conspiracy against the Punjab government in the dengue case, Gilani said that he has encouraged international experts to come in Pakistan.
Over fuel price, and the backlash his government has had to face, he replied that he has constituted a committee in consultation with the opposition leader to look into the issue.
A public gathering in Shahdara
Gilani, addressing a public gathering in Shahdara on Friday, vowed that he will stand by the principles and philosophy of ‘Bhuttoism’, and that neither will he bow nor be sold.
The PPP leadership, during their address at the gathering, lashed out at the judiciary. PPP Punjab President, Imtiaz Safdar Warraich asked the people to make a pledge that they would stand with Prime Minister Gilani in his struggle and fight for rules and principles. Warraich urged the public to stand up in favour of their premier and discourage all those who wanted to topple the PPP-led government.
Evacuee Trust Property Board Chairman Asif Hashmi, who had organised the public gathering in the area where he had unsuccessfully contested the general elections in 2008, requested Gilani to abolish the toll tax on Ravi Bridge. Gilani, in his subsequent address, accepted his request and abolished the toll tax.
In his speech, Gilani recalled the Bhutto philosophy and indirectly conveyed his message to the judiciary that the office of the premier is a trivial matter from him. He said that PPP, being an ideological party, could not be abolished as it has been present for many decades now. He said that dictators had killed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, removed Benazir and now if he too would be removed, they still could not erase the philosophy of Bhuttoism from the minds of the people.
He said that he freed judges, restored the judiciary and himself was part of the lawyers’ movement and no one should dare threaten the country’s sovereignty. He said that religious parties had failed to block Nato supply and it was the PPP government which had not only blocked Nato supply but also ensure that the Shamsi Airbase was vacated and even boycotted the Bonn Conference.
Claiming that the PPP was not a party that sought power and that its leadership had sacrificed for the sake of people, Gilani said that he would prefer living with principles to bowing before someone. He said that he would himself leave office if he feels that he has lost public support.
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I have become an admirer of Mr. Gilani in the sense that he has grown in his job and has shown that democracy is the best way forward. Mr. Gilani has indicated he will accept the decision of the courts even though the courts are motivated by political intrigue. At least Giliani shows he is a man of character and deserves to be the PM unlike runaway dictators like Musharraf and other politicians.
With the help of SC another Dulla Bhatti(YRG) in making. Cool down Emperor Akbar (CJP).
PM nowadays has become the "most obedient servant" of the Supreme Court.
I hope that with the blink of an eye, PM should resign when the charges are framed against him.
Time to write letter to Swiss Authorities have already lapsed. It will be the prerogative of the court if the court will still allow him to write a letter to Swiss Authorities.
Does anybody even bothers to understand why there is immunity for the head of the state in most countries including the oldest democracy in the world? If the head of state is not given immunity then everybody would bring a lawsuit against the elected head of state and he/she would not be able to govern. That is why not a single case (when Clinton lied about his affair and Bush about his relationship with oil companies, WMD) was even accepted by any court against the sitting president. The courts are there to protect the constitution and the mandate of the people not to torpedo it with the help of unelected paid govt servants. Zardari was tried and put in jail for over a decade without these same judges proving anything. They can try him again after he is out of the office.
The court's murdered Bhutto, the court approved Musharraf's takeover, the same court never bothered of military takeover, not once a civilian govt completed its term, yet..............
To those of you eulogising the PM, today Chris Huhne the Energy Secretary in the UK, has resigned as he has been charged with a driving offence. He says he wants to clear his name in a court of law as a private citizen. There is a lesson for those exploiting the word "Democracy" in Pakistan.
Perhaps we need an interpretation of the "Contempt of Court Clause". Can the PCO judges exploit it to force a Prime Minister to do something which is unconstitutional?
We r proud of u Mr PM U stand by your words , we will stand by you.
the country is running well, everyone sleeps well, has food on their plates, children go to school, there are no health issues for the majority, there are no drugs, no violence, no drone attacks................seems like the PM has too much free time on his hands, so he can just take a breather from the stifling environment at PM house and visit the CJP on invitation (sic)
I am proud of you too Mr Prime Minister. I am proud in the sense that you know that the Supreme Court judgements are biased against the PPP governments through out history but you still keep the cool head and following the instructions of the respected court. Well done Mr Gilani and well done PPP. You got 100 out of 100 points from me. Thanks
His dithering is not going to be of any use this time. He will have to respect the SC - he does not have a choice in the matter.
As they have respected the SC since 2009. What hypocrisy ...
Why do you assume themselves that president has immunity?? Take this matter to the court either president has immunity or not?? Court knows in which matters president has immunity thats why they ordered to write a letter. Everything is clear then why you Mr. Gillani wasting nations time??