Situationer: PPP prepares to blitz judiciary
With key cases in decisive phases, ruling party will step up rhetoric against SC.
ISLAMABAD:
Hard-hitting speeches by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)’s chairman and co-chairman against the judiciary on the occasion of the party founder’s death anniversary were just a preview.
Already in a confrontational mode with the judiciary, the ruling PPP has decided up their aggression a notch, preempting more adverse verdicts and rulings from the apex court in a two key cases expected in coming days, according to party insiders.
The Supreme Court will resume hearing the contempt of court case against the prime minister on April 12, and a few days later, on April 16, is scheduled likely to give another verdict on the NRO implementation case.
The approaching dates are not lost on the PPP – which has already prepared contingency plans to counter the fallout of ‘adverse’ verdicts.
“We will not be going for immediate replacement of Prime Minister Gilani in case of any hostile judgment against him. We will go through the rules and deal with the matter under the law and Constitution,” said a PPP leader who attended the recently-held Central Executive Committee meeting on the eve of Zulifqar Ali Bhutto’s death anniversary.
In the meeting, the party discussed the court’s ‘attitude’ with the PPP in detail – and the speeches of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and President Asif Ali Zardari were a reflection of the party’s policy, the PPP leader said.
“Everybody should be sure that we will not write a letter to Swiss authorities against our own president. We will uphold the Constitution which says no proceedings can be initiated or carried on against the president. Even Swiss authorities respect the immunity for a head of state,” the PPP leader said making it clear that under no circumstances would the prime minister write the letter.
The outcome of the contempt proceedings against the prime minister has two differing opinions.
Some believe that he could automatically be deemed a convict once a guilty verdict is announced, and the rest of the procedure would be reflexive. Others believe that the process of de-seating him would actually have to be initiated through the National Assembly whose speaker would have to send a reference to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The speaker can hold such a reference for 30 days before sending it to the ECP. The government would still have a right of appeal against the ECP’s decision. The entire case could be dragged on for quite some time.
The stepping up of belligerence against the apex court also comes at a time that the PPP is gearing up its election campaign. The president intends to be hands-on in this campaign.
He has already launched a frontal assault against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) while in Lahore, which is also being termed a kick-off of the PPP’s election strategy in Punjab.
There were some murmurs of a possible resignation by the prime minister to save his political career – however, insiders say that Yousaf Raza Gilani has put this decision in the hands of the PPP leadership.
The resentment against the perceived targeting of the PPP has been brewing for some time in the party’s rank and file.
During informal discussions, PPP leaders almost always count various verdicts of the incumbent top judiciary where, they say, their government was being singled out for ‘selective justice’. Leaders have been silent publically however.
This is set to change once the green light is given by the PPP hierarchy. And that day could be very close, as suggested by sudden sharpening of direct rhetoric against the judiciary by Bilawal and the president.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 8th, 2012.
Hard-hitting speeches by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)’s chairman and co-chairman against the judiciary on the occasion of the party founder’s death anniversary were just a preview.
Already in a confrontational mode with the judiciary, the ruling PPP has decided up their aggression a notch, preempting more adverse verdicts and rulings from the apex court in a two key cases expected in coming days, according to party insiders.
The Supreme Court will resume hearing the contempt of court case against the prime minister on April 12, and a few days later, on April 16, is scheduled likely to give another verdict on the NRO implementation case.
The approaching dates are not lost on the PPP – which has already prepared contingency plans to counter the fallout of ‘adverse’ verdicts.
“We will not be going for immediate replacement of Prime Minister Gilani in case of any hostile judgment against him. We will go through the rules and deal with the matter under the law and Constitution,” said a PPP leader who attended the recently-held Central Executive Committee meeting on the eve of Zulifqar Ali Bhutto’s death anniversary.
In the meeting, the party discussed the court’s ‘attitude’ with the PPP in detail – and the speeches of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and President Asif Ali Zardari were a reflection of the party’s policy, the PPP leader said.
“Everybody should be sure that we will not write a letter to Swiss authorities against our own president. We will uphold the Constitution which says no proceedings can be initiated or carried on against the president. Even Swiss authorities respect the immunity for a head of state,” the PPP leader said making it clear that under no circumstances would the prime minister write the letter.
The outcome of the contempt proceedings against the prime minister has two differing opinions.
Some believe that he could automatically be deemed a convict once a guilty verdict is announced, and the rest of the procedure would be reflexive. Others believe that the process of de-seating him would actually have to be initiated through the National Assembly whose speaker would have to send a reference to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The speaker can hold such a reference for 30 days before sending it to the ECP. The government would still have a right of appeal against the ECP’s decision. The entire case could be dragged on for quite some time.
The stepping up of belligerence against the apex court also comes at a time that the PPP is gearing up its election campaign. The president intends to be hands-on in this campaign.
He has already launched a frontal assault against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) while in Lahore, which is also being termed a kick-off of the PPP’s election strategy in Punjab.
There were some murmurs of a possible resignation by the prime minister to save his political career – however, insiders say that Yousaf Raza Gilani has put this decision in the hands of the PPP leadership.
The resentment against the perceived targeting of the PPP has been brewing for some time in the party’s rank and file.
During informal discussions, PPP leaders almost always count various verdicts of the incumbent top judiciary where, they say, their government was being singled out for ‘selective justice’. Leaders have been silent publically however.
This is set to change once the green light is given by the PPP hierarchy. And that day could be very close, as suggested by sudden sharpening of direct rhetoric against the judiciary by Bilawal and the president.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 8th, 2012.