President Asif Ali Zardari PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD: The secretary law had sent a letter to the Swiss authorities in relation to graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari on November 22, 2012, without informing the Supreme Court, Attorney General of Pakistan revealed on Wednesday.
The revelation was made during the hearing of the NRO implementation case.
The apex court had asked the government to send a letter to the Swiss authorities, requesting to reopen criminal cases against the president.
The government wrote a letter, had it approved by the Supreme Court and sent it to the concerned authorities in Switzerland on November 5, 2012. However, the secretary law had again sent a letter without informing anyone on November 22, 2012.
The attorney general told the court that the ministry of law has also destroyed all the proof related to the second letter.
By sending a second letter to the Swiss authorities, the secretary law made the first letter invalid.
In February this year, Swiss authorities declined to reopen cases against President Zardari in response to the letter sent on November 22 and not the one sent on November 5.
Terming this action on the part of secretary law as contempt of court, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said the matter should be investigated.
The government formed a committee to investigate the second letter. Intelligence Bureau head Aftab Sultan and Sami Saeed will be probing the issue and will submit their report to the apex court.
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COMMENTS (36)
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Those who have drafted the "2nd" letter, those who have reviewed it and those who have signed it should all be punished for contempt of court. They must be disqualified similar to how Sycophant Yousaf Raza Gillani was Disqualified. Down with NRO!!
High treason and now high act of cheating.
Swiss courts are no longer receiving letters from Pakistan government. Its a waste of their precious time.
In Pakistan, people often claim that they did such and such (criminal) act under pressure, and others take it as a justification for their acts, condoning the illegal act.
Perhaps an office peon or a very junior person could use this argument in his defence, but not the senior officials who get paid handsomely for their work and are supposed to protect the interest of the state, and not of individuals.
If they can't resist pressure, the honorable course for them is to resign. Another point: if they can't resist pressure, they should not have been placed in a senior position anyway.
Karachi
WOW!! They should be given medals for being the best crooks.
The Government must immediately write to Swiss Government about withdrawing the second letter which was sent by accused party and as such not valid. If taken up immediately with SC support also, I am sure Swiss courts would reopen the case. They know its not fair to close the case wrongly. Let justice be done as its an important case in Pakistan's history.
Another first in the history of the World. Indeed, corrupt mind (PhD) vetoes everyone, including disregard to the law of the land. Bravo to the President, the former law minister and. The Law Secretary for upholding the principles of criminal (justice) supremacy.
I think this is really act of high treason, therefore must be hanged
Who cares about this or any of the other drama what happend over the past 5 years..... at least Musharraf is being done for everythng under the sun!!
@KP: Not Sardari but you the People of Pakistan are responsible for their future. The tax commissioner can buy the CD from the market and instantly find out how many of Pakistanis have swiss acconts and how much wealth is lying there.
Rex Minor
God created Pakistan to teach India and the world how not to behave as a state. Its a live demonstration and a lesson for all.
Send aletter to find out how much the chief justice and Nawazsharif is hiding in swiss banks.
Send a third letter - get those cases reopened.
A second secret letter , invalidating the 1st public letter. Beautiful. Pakistan exceeds my expectations everyday.
Zardari is like emperor Nero of Rome!
Does The secretary law has any name? This person should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and his finances should also be checked by the Intelligence Bureau and reported to the concerned authorities. So much is wrong with this nation of Pakistan that it can not be remedied any more by the Judiciary, how much a Chief Justice or other Justice could do to correct the wrongs which are being done on and on. It is amazing this nation of 180 million has survived for 65 years in spite of the onslaught of the corrupt elite of Pakistan. It is so depressing.
Cases should be reopened but not at cost of spending million of dollars on hiring of lawyers at govt expense and resulting no progress and recovery of stolen money. It will be a futile effort losing tax payers money
I see it all Hid and Seek game between judiciary and 'democratic leaders'. Both are playing and ignoring serious issues common Pakistani is facing today. Do we really need them?
Co Zaradri Go ! +++++++++++++++
Chuhrdy Nisar should start abusing someone totally unrelated to this incident
Our Judiciary should not cherry pick certain cases but force the government to ask Swiss authorities to give names of all Pakistanis who have accounts in their banks with the amounts they have. USA and other countries have done so while pardoning these account holders but taxing them according to the due share that can bring taxes year after year from these accounts. But have assurance our respected judiciary will not do this as so many of their own relatives and some of them their selves must be involved. Judiciary must come clean their-self first if they want this case resolved sincerely.
If President Zardari had used the cleverness in right direction, we could have been a very successful nation in last 5 years ;)
Great work done by Yasmeen Abbasi, Bravo lady.
Nawaz sharif's accumulating amir-ul-momineen's soul.
Please stop the drama. And focus more on sentencing the terrorists.
@lol ME
Come on CJ / guys. We have a lot more difficult problems to solve. Don't waste all the time and resources on this issue.
Who's voted no?
Shouldn't have left any loopholes in the first place, can't blame Mr Zardari's law team for taking advantage of this simple work-around ..
Money can BUY anything... ZARDARI is so CLEVER...
How smartly the played. Now all should be brought to justice Who 1. Advised Govt to do so. 2. wrote the 2nd letter. 3. Aid to write the 2nd letter. 4. For whom this letter was drafted and who approved the letter.. Samajh tu aap gaee hongey :)
Please bring People money back and solve the energy crises asap.
Why stay behind times? Both France and Germany were unable to obtain Swiss Government cooperation and decided to buy the CDRom available in the market whch identifies the names of their citizens who have swiss accounts. The result, they were able to collect millions of Euros in taxes from their citizens.
Rex Minor
The Secretary Law should be proceeded according to the law.Enough is enough...