News
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Law secy goes on leave; Swiss cases reopening ‘in doldrums’
By Masood Rehman
ISLAMABAD: The reopening of the Swiss cases against President Asif Ali Zardari was apparently thrown into jeopardy on Tuesday as Federal Law Secretary Justice (r) Muhammad Aqil Mirza went on a 20-day leave.
Sources in the Law Ministry told Daily Times that the leave period might be extended. They said the secretary may even tender his resignation during his leave, as he had been unable to ensure the implementation of the NRO verdict in letter and spirit. They said although he had filed a report with the Supreme Court registrar’s office on the reopening of the Swiss cases, the document could be rejected at the next hearing.
On Thursday, the SC was surprised when it was told that letters asking the Swiss authorities to reopen cases against Zardari had not been delivered and were being kept at the law secretary’s house, although NAB Chairman Naved Ahsen had told the court earlier that the letters had been despatched.
On Friday, Attorney General Justice (r) Anwar Mansoor Khan resigned, claiming that Law Minister Babar Awan and his ministry were hampering the implementation of SC orders to reopen graft cases involving Zardari in Swiss courts.
On April 1, the SC directed the law secretary to hand over all documents related to the Swiss cases to the attorney general for the completion of the task. The law secretary said he had received three sealed envelopes from the foreign secretary. According to him, he opened the one addressed to him, while nobody touched the letters addressed to the Swiss and other foreign authorities.
The sources claimed that all documents related to the Swiss cases and letters sent to Swiss officials were being kept by the federal law minister. When Attorney General Mansoor Khan asked for the Swiss records to be handed over, the sources quoted Awan as saying “‘over my dead body’”.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk