PM contempt: I will win the case if summaries are accepted, says Aitzaz

Supreme Court accepts Aitzaz's application, Nargis Sethi to appear as witness.

ISLAMABAD: Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, counsel for Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, confidently told the media on Tuesday that if his summaries submitted in the Supreme Court are accepted then he will win the case.

An application was filed by Aitzaz on Monday asking the court to bring in three witnesses, Cabinet/Defence Secretary Nargis Sethi, former law minister Babar Awan and Law Secretary Muhammad Masood Chisti, and to allow him to present two summaries in the court.

The summaries were sent by secretary and minister of law and justice to the prime minister’s office advising him “not to write the letter to prosecutors in Switzerland”.

Aitzaz told the media that the court, during the hearing today, accepted his application and has allowed the witnesses to appear. “Court has allowed me to present the summaries. Nargis Sethi will appear before the court and prove the summaries.” However, the other two witnesses, Awan and Chisti, have refused to appear before the court, Aitzaz revealed.

During the hearing, Aitzaz told the Supreme Court that the prime minister’s reply in the contempt case will not be submitted unless witnesses’ statements are recorded.

Justice Nasirul Mulk, heading the seven-member bench, remarked that Aitzaz neither submitted a reply nor did he submit any evidences, and has rather submitted an application. Aitzaz, in reply, said that the witnesses, which he has asked to be summoned in the court, will inform the bench that the prime minister was not given any advice other than the two summaries he wishes to present.

Aitzaz told the court that “Prosecutor [Attorney General] in the case did not summon any witness. Thus, I have been deprived of the right to cross examine the witnesses.”

The court allowed him to bring in the witnesses, but Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmani maintained that it was a useless act if the prime minister is not agreeing to implement the court’s orders.

Aitzaz replied that he did not want to make speculations about the future happenings and added that “this bench is not for the implementation but to hear contempt charges… My mandate is to prove that the prime minister did not flout any order of the Supreme Court willfully.”

On whether Prime Minister Gilani will be made to appear personally before the court, Aitzaz clarified that the accused does not have to appear personally till the very end of the proceedings, after all the witnesses have recorded their statements.

Aitzaz will cross-examine Sethi on March 7 during the next hearing, where Sethi would record her statements before the seven-member bench.