News
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
SC asks Raja to ‘pass the buck’
* Court tells PM to authorise either law minister or AG to settle Swiss letter issue with it
* Gives him three weeks to comply with NRO verdict
By Hasnaat Malik
ISLAMABAD: Unlike former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s contempt of court case, the Supreme Court seems flexible for incumbent premier Raja Pervez Ashraf, as it has asked him to authorise either Law Minister Farooq H Naek or the attorney general to resolve the matter regarding the implementation of para 178 of the NRO judgement about reopening of Swiss cases against President Asif Ali Zardari. The bench, declining the PM’s plea to exempt him from personal appearance, has asked him to appear on September 18.
The court also assured PM Raja that it would settle this matter with the authorised person as it is ready to address their concerns (presidential immunity) about this issue as well. A five-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa on Monday granted three weeks to Raja Pervez Ashraf for compliance of the court’s December 16 judgement on NRO.
During the hearing, the court kept asking the PM to commit to implement the NRO judgement, but the premier remained reluctant. However, he stated that he would take serious efforts to understand and settle the issue. The court also observed that the issue was not as big as has been portrayed. It also appreciated the PM’s personal appearance in the court, who said he was appearing as a premier and not as an accused as no charges had been framed against him.
The court told the premier that it doesn’t want him to appear again and again, therefore, he should give a commitment to resolve the matter. Justice Khosa said, “If you will not give a commitment then law will take its own course.”
He said they wanted the government to write a letter to the Swiss authorities and ignore the one previously written by former attorney general Malik Qayyum. He said the court only wanted implementation of para 178 of the NRO judgement in letter and spirit. “We don’t like to prosecute anyone and neither mentioned anyone’s name in the judgement.”
Justice Athar Saeed, expressing serious concerns over the anti-judiciary statements issued by PPP leaders, asked the PM to direct his ministers as well as Punjab Governor Latif Khosa to avoid giving derogatory remarks against the judiciary on TV channels.
Earlier, PM Raja, appearing before the bench, requested the court to grant him four to six weeks to find a positive outcome of the matter. Addressing the court, the PM said it was an honour for him to be appearing before the court. He said, “I have the highest regard for the court and have no intention to defy the court order and would like to resolve the issue in a manner that upholds the dignity of the Supreme Court and also address the concerns of the federal government.”
Justice Khosa said, “You don’t have the choice of not implementing the court’s NRO judgement.” Raja requested the bench to give some time to him as he was only a 60-day PM, while his predecessor Yousaf Raza Gilani had remained PM for almost four years.
The PM gave the commitment to the court that he would try to find a solution to the stalemate within four weeks. He said this issued was being discussed not only inside but outside the country also and he wanted to find a solution. He said gaining time was not to delay the matter and now he would himself look into it. He said further his government was faced with numerous issues such as terrorism, law and order situation in Balochistan, relations with US and Afghanistan, and energy crisis. “I want to solve the matter with collective wisdom.”
Raja said being the chief executive of the country he could not afford to prolong this issue and would like to find out why this matter was being delayed for the last two-and-half-years. The court questioned that before Monday’s appearance of the PM in the court, a lot of meetings and detailed deliberation had been held on whether he should appear before the court or not, then why did they not discuss implementation of the NRO judgement. Hearing of the case has adjourned until September 18.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk