To write Swiss letter or not?: SC tells Ashraf to decide by July 12
SC directs AG to contact PM Ashraf and inform the court about his decision.
ISLAMABAD:
While hearing the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) implementation case on Wednesday, the Supreme Court ordered Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to submit a written response to the court on whether or not he will write a letter to the Swiss authorities by July 12, Express News reported.
A three-member bench, headed by Justice Nasirul Mulk, ordered Attorney General Irfan Qadir to get in touch with Ashraf and inform the court about Ashraf’s stance.
The court had already issued an order when a contempt of court case was underway against former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, in which it was told to disregard the summary made by the Law Ministry and write a letter to the Swiss authorities to open graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.
The federal government had asked the court to not implement the order yet as Gilani’s case was underway.
Justice Mulk asked National Accountability Bureau (NAB) how former prime minister Gilani, who appointed Adnan A Khawaja as chairperson Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), was not aware that Khawaja was a convicted person.
Justice Khosa observed that Gilani and Khwaja had also spent some time in jail together then how NAB could say that Gilani was not aware about this aspect of Khawaja.
The Supreme Court had earlier directed NAB to hold inquiry to fix responsibility for appointing a convicted person (NRO beneficiary) as chairman OGDCL.
An application was filed in the Supreme Court on Tuesday praying that contempt proceedings against the incumbent prime minister Raja Parvaiz Ashraf be initiated for giving a statement that he will not write a letter to the Swiss authorities.
While hearing the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) implementation case on Wednesday, the Supreme Court ordered Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to submit a written response to the court on whether or not he will write a letter to the Swiss authorities by July 12, Express News reported.
A three-member bench, headed by Justice Nasirul Mulk, ordered Attorney General Irfan Qadir to get in touch with Ashraf and inform the court about Ashraf’s stance.
The court had already issued an order when a contempt of court case was underway against former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, in which it was told to disregard the summary made by the Law Ministry and write a letter to the Swiss authorities to open graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.
The federal government had asked the court to not implement the order yet as Gilani’s case was underway.
Justice Mulk asked National Accountability Bureau (NAB) how former prime minister Gilani, who appointed Adnan A Khawaja as chairperson Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), was not aware that Khawaja was a convicted person.
Justice Khosa observed that Gilani and Khwaja had also spent some time in jail together then how NAB could say that Gilani was not aware about this aspect of Khawaja.
The Supreme Court had earlier directed NAB to hold inquiry to fix responsibility for appointing a convicted person (NRO beneficiary) as chairman OGDCL.
An application was filed in the Supreme Court on Tuesday praying that contempt proceedings against the incumbent prime minister Raja Parvaiz Ashraf be initiated for giving a statement that he will not write a letter to the Swiss authorities.