Pakistan Supreme Court approves govt drafted letter

11 October, 2012

According to the media reports emerging from Pakistan, nation's Supreme Court has approved the fresh draft letter on October 10 to be sent to Swiss authorities to re-open corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari. But, surprisingly, the new draft still mentions the immunity to the president of the country in such cases.

BUT IT is a matter of relief for both the Pak prime minister and the president, as they will continue on their posts. The next hearing of the case is said to take place on November 14. The approved revised draft letter was examined by the apex court behind closed doors.

One may recall that Zardari was granted amnesty under the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) in 2007 by then president Pervez Musharraf to facilitate his return to Pakistan from exile. However, the said ordinance was struck down by the Pakistan's Supreme Court as void in 2009. Earlier, former prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, had refused to write a letter to the Swiss authorities to re-open cases against Zardari and was disqualified both as prime minister and parliament member on June 19 this year.

The present prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf is the second Pak premier to appear in the apex court to face a contempt charge for refusing to revive the corruption cases against Zardari.