Correspondent Published: 00:00 September 24, 2010 

http://gulfnews.com/news/world/pakistan/deadlock-in-money-laundering-case-involving-zardari-1.686663

Government and judiciary showdown likely over cases against Zardari

Islamabad: A long-running tussle over a Supreme Court decision regarding closed Swiss money-laundering cases involving President Asif Ali Zardari appeared to be heading towards a showdown amid reports on Thursday that the government was set to take a firm stance, contrary to the court's instructions.

Local television channels reported that the law ministry secretary had prepared a fresh summary for Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani about the matter, after a three-judge bench ordered him to do so on Tuesday, in line with the court's December 16 verdict last year.

Quoting unnamed sources, the reports said that the summary rules out any approach by the government for the Swiss authorities to reopen the cases, as ordered in the verdict that revoked a Musharraf-era National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).

The Supreme Court has repeatedly expressed its displeasure over the non-implementation of the verdict under which all cases waived, as a result of the NRO amnesty, were revived as they were prior to the ordinance issued by former president Pervez Musharraf in 2007.

The law secretary is expected to apprise a three-judge bench headed by chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry on the content of the summary when it holds a scheduled hearing today.

There was no immediate official comment on the reports based on which the summary said that there was no possibility of writing any letter for reopening cases against the president to any other country.

The government has all along been stressing on the fact that a head of state enjoys complete indemnity under the country's constitution as well as under the international law, from any prosecution.

Gilani, speaking in the National Assembly here on Wednesday, made it clear that the government would be guided by the constitution in respecting judicial decisions.

"We will respect the decisions of the judiciary but within the limits of the 1973 constitution," he said.

Options

He emphasised that the government believed in compliance within the constitutional parameters on the part of all institutions.

"We will neither encroach upon the space of any other nor allow encroachment upon our space," the prime minister said, particularly mentioning the judiciary.

Political analyst Nejam Sehthi said a "deadlock" was in the offering and a confrontation between the judiciary and the executive was likely.

Legal experts including former law minister S.M. Zafar and retired judge Wajihuddin Ahmad in comments on a television channel also pointed out that a hardening of positions by the government and the judiciary could lead to a complex situation.

Supreme Court Bar Association president Qazi Anwar said refusal to comply with the verdict would be "sheer contempt of court".