News
Friday, September 24, 2010
‘Swiss cases can’t be reopened’
* Law Ministry in a summary to PM says writing letter to Swiss govt will be tantamount to putting country’s sovereignty and integrity at stake
* President part of parliament whose supremacy can’t be challenged
* President enjoys immunity
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: In response to Supreme Court’s orders, the Law Ministry on Thursday forwarded a summary to the prime minister, stating that the Swiss money-laundering cases against President Asif Ali Zardari cannot be reopened.
According to sources, the ministry stated that reopening of the Swiss cases would be harmful to the sovereignty and integrity of the country. The ministry also expressed serious reservations over reopening of the cases.
The summary stated that reopening the Swiss cases would be tantamount to putting the country’s sovereignty at stake. It also said the president enjoyed immunity under the constitution.
It further stated that the National Assembly, Senate and the president could not be separated and parliament was supreme, thus its supremacy could not be challenged. The summary also stated that as per law, no incumbent president could be prosecuted in any other country.
The summary would also be submitted in the SC today (Friday). Earlier, on September 21, a three-member SC bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had again directed the government to re-open the cases against Zardari until September 24 after reprimanding the law secretary for not ensuring implementation of the NRO verdict.
The court had also directed the law secretary to ensure presenting of a summary to the prime minister for re-opening of the Swiss cases and submitting compliance report today. The court had ordered this while hearing a suo motu case against the non-implementation of its December 16, 2009 verdict, declaring the NRO ultra vires to certain provisions of the constitution. “We have to ensure implementation of the apex court judgements in letter and spirit,” the CJP had noted.
Supreme Court Bar Association President Qazi Muhammad Anwar told Daily Times that the Law Ministry had committed contempt of court as the SC had asked it to prepare a summary under its ruling, but it did not comply.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk
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