News
Sunday, May 13, 2012
No contempt of court law in country: PM* Gilani says his only crime is protecting constitution
* Vows to go to any extreme to fight his case
* Says he does not care if Sharifs do not accept him
LONDON: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Saturday he had been convicted although there was no law for the contempt of court in the country.
Addressing leaders and workers of the Pakistan People’s Party, the prime minister said his case was related to interpretation of the constitution of the country and his only crime was protecting the constitution.
Gilani vowed to protect the constitution at all cost and not to be deterred by any threat. “Come what may I will protect the constitution of Pakistan, I will go to the last limit and exhaust all my options and exercise my right to appeal,” Gilani said.
“I am not one of those who will stab the party in the back as I believed that under Article 248 of the constitution and Vienna Convention, the president has complete immunity and I am not required to write any letter as it is a violation of the constitution.”
Gilani said the opposition wanted him to resign on moral grounds. “But... hundreds of cases are lying pending with courts and I wish that a decision is taken on these cases as well.”
The prime minister said there were a number of cases against the Sharifs with the National Accountability Bureau, adding that the Mehran Bank case was also pending for the past 20 years.
“While cases against Nawaz Sharif are pending in courts, how are they taking out rallies in support of judiciary? Would it not embarrass the judiciary?” Gilani questioned.
Gilani said certain “self-created leaders” were trying in vain to tell the world that he was no longer prime minister of Pakistan.
“We do not care if you do not accept me. The world acknowledges me, the constitution of Pakistan recognises me, the people of Pakistan recognise me,” he said.
“Who are you, the one who was convicted for hijacking a plane?” Gilani questioned.
He said the people of Pakistan wanted to know details of Nawaz Sharif’s journey from Attock to Jeddah in the dark of the night.
Gilani said Nawaz Sharif left the country after a plea bargain, which was a confession and pledged not to be part of any politics for 10 years.
The prime minister regretted that the PPP inked the Charter of Democracy with Nawaz Sharif and extended him full support when he was going through difficult times. However, he added, in return the PPP received undue criticism from the PML-N.
Prime Minister Gilani said the politics of Nawaz Sharif revolved around creating disruption in traffic, burning tyres and causing lawlessness. He said it was also for the first time that a province was leading protests against the federation which, he added, was in itself an act of high treason.
Gilani also talked about decisions taken at a recent energy conference in Lahore where it was decided to have two weekly offs and closing down businesses early to save electricity. “But the Sharif brothers again declined to follow the decisions and are trying to launch protest against the government,” he said.
Gilani said certain people were now part of politics “who have absolutely no role in protecting the country or democracy”. He said those speaking of a long march were not even capable of holding a short march. He said it was former prime minister Benazir Bhutto who had led the march for the restoration of democracy. He said the PPP had struggled for the freedom and strengthening of judiciary. Separately, in an interview with Daily Telegraph, Gilani said al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was not in Pakistan and that the US had failed to provide any “actionable information” to suggest otherwise. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk