While many are speculating over the Supreme Court’s verdict in the contempt case against Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, those who see the premier being ‘sacrificed’ for the sake of the ruling-government will be disappointed, says Aitzaz Ahsan, and to top it off the premier’s counsel believes that Gilani will manage to steer clear from the Supreme Court’s wrath without seeking a presidential pardon.
Talking to Express News host Kamran Shahid, Aitzaz said that the “prime minister will not advise the president to pardon him, if convicted.”
During the course of the show, Ahsan broke down the entire process by which the prime minister would be forced to relinquish his seat in the National Assembly, and hence his post as a result of his disqualification.
“The entire process could take months,” Aitzaz said.
He went on to divulge that not all convictions led to disqualifications.
“Once the verdict comes, the case will be put before the Speaker of the National Assembly, where the speaker will have 30 days from the time the resolution is moved to decide whether Gilani can be disqualified due to the verdict,” he said.
Even if the speaker declares the PM as disqualified, the matter then has to be deliberated before the election commission, which has to decide within 90 days whether this verdict disqualifies Gilani as an member of the National Assembly. Even then, the prime minister can challenge the election commission’s ruling, he added.
Aitzaz, however, was hopeful that he may still be able to persuade the seven-member Supreme Court bench that the prime minister was not in contempt.
“The case was closed on merit,” Ahsan said, adding that writing a letter to the Swiss authorities would bring the money back. “To get money out of Swiss accounts, the government would need to file a civil suit in Switzerland.” However, he said that “the time bar for filing this case has passed,” adding that even if the government wanted, there is no way of retrieving the money.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 17th, 2012.
COMMENTS (10)
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disappointed with Aitazaz.....money / power or blackmail made him switch sides.....:(
If there is any shame left, both prime minister and president should resign and go home. Enough is enough..
@Parvez: Well said..
Convicted or not makes no difference, as the present rulers stand disgraced and discredited. The fact that they refuse to acknowledge this is an added shame.
Speaker is not to reopen and retry the decision but to refer it towards EC immediately. The CEC has to implement the apex courts verdict and not to take it as a referred matter to revert or re-judge. Aitizaz knows well but he would betray Gilani to oust him and take his position. He is cool but clever.
Believe me PM will not leave his office, whatever the courts say
Aitzaz Ahsan is no less evil if one compares to Babar Awan. He fought for corrupt leaders awarded a senate seat and now Aitzaz has done the same. These evil forces works for top brass who has always get supports from agencies and do the things against the will of masses. I salute our President who exposed all political/armed forces who stands together if anything goes against their personal interest. We as a nation knows very well that these forces are knitted very closely with each other and to break the net we need to stand up not only for us but for our next generations.
Aitizaz Ehsan, the once likeable personality across the political divide has soiled his credentials by representing a case which is a "CASE OF PEOPLE AGAINST RULERS". By siding with corruption of rulers he has not only deserted the peoples right but also committed a wrong which if seen from the point of view of ISLAMIC TEACHINGS point view, is a BIG SIN.