THE SAME judge he freed from military rule has indicted the premier for failing to act against the President but again the same president has the power to pardon him. Confused? This weird political drama unfolded in the Pakistan Supreme Court this morning as a bench of seven judges including Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry indicted Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani for contempt of court for failing to open the graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

Gilani has been maintaining all along that the President enjoys complete immunity in the country and abroad but the apex court, according to NDTV has been pressurising him to reopen the cases since December 2009, when it scrapped the National reconciliation Ordinance, an amnesty granted by then President Pervez Musharraf to ensure the return of President Zardari and thousands others who faced the corruption charges.

Gilani became first Pakistan prime minister to be indicted by the top court and thus came to an end an opportunity to make peace, offered to him by the apex court last week when it asked him to write a letter to Swiss authorities to open the corruption against Zardari but it seems Gilani has decided to fight this one out. He faces a six-month imprisonment and would be disqualified from the office from public office for five years, according to NDTV. But he has told Al Jazeera that he would resign, if convicted. But president, according to legal experts, president has the power to pardon him.

Though there are reports of possible replacement being discussed but the country could have to face early elections, much to the happiness of PTI chief Imran Khan who has been waiting and calling for early elections as according to him, people were fed up of the corrupt PPP government. Like Imran, general Musharraf would also like to see Prime Minister convicted and an early announcement of general elections.

A PPP leader, who wished anonymity, has been quoted by the NDTV as saying that ‘Gilani’s sacrifice will give a boost to the party and that would be used as a launch pad for next election. People are already saying that the courts have never acted against military dictators and those who violated the Constitution. Imagine what will happen if the court decides to act against the Prime Minister who freed the judges who were detained by Pervez Musharraf," he has said.

Going by this logic, PPP would definitely gain the process but what about the fortunes of Prime Minister Gilani? How would it benefit him if he is barred from holding public office for five years? Common sense says that it is his personal loss but one believes that Gilani isn’t a gullible politician who would make such a huge sacrifice for the party at the cost of his personal loss. As they say he is a Pathan who likes to thrash you on your face in public but apologise in private.