The top stories from Pakistan is that the Prime Minister of Pakistan will today appear before the country’s Supreme Court’ in connection with the contempt case against him that could see him jailed or thrown out of office, as he vowed to appear in person on Thursday to face the verdict.
Earlier, the Pak PM Gilani yesterday told media in an interview, “I will appear before the Supreme Court tomorrow (Thursday).”
He told media that the Pak government has always respected the decision made by the Supreme Court of Pakistan and obeyed the orders and will keep on doing so in the future as well.
Further, reports have said that the seven-judge bench headed by justice Nasir-ul-Mulk had on Tuesday reserved its judgement in the contempt case opened against Pak PM Gilani for failing to act on the Supreme Court’s orders to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.
Meanwhile, the 56-year-old, Yousuf Raza Gilani, could face a six-month prison term and disqualification if he is found guilty.
However, in Tuesday’s hearing, justice Nasir-ul-Mulk asked the Prime Minister’s counsel, Aitzaz Ahsan, to make sure that the premier is available in the Supreme Court when the verdict is announced on Thursday.
The Pak SC has been continuously saying the central government to revive cases of alleged money laundering against President Zardari in Switzerland since December 2009, when it struck down a graft amnesty issued by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf.
Prime Minister Gilani has refused to take action, and said the country’s President enjoys immunity within Pakistan and abroad.
In the meantime, PM Gilani appeared in the Pak SC twice before and decided to fight the case.
Even after Mr. Gilani was officially charged with contempt of court on February 13, Yousuf Raza Gilani insisted that he would rather be jailed than approach the Swiss authorities to reopen the cases against the President.
Moreover, the premier has said, “Throughout the proceedings in the apex court that he had done nothing against the government’s rules of business.”
