Pakistan PM Yousuf Raza Gilani Charged With Contempt Of Court
Pakistani Prime Minister was on Monday indicted for contempt in the country's highest court, a move that could disqualify him from office.Gilani pleaded not guilty in the contempt case in the Supreme Court. If convicted, Gilani, 59, could be imprisoned for six months and face possible removal from office after being disqualified from holding public office for five years.
Dealing a major blow to Gilani, Pakistan's apex court headed by Chief Justice on Friday had rejected his appeal against framing of contempt charges over his failure to act on its repeated orders to revive cases of alleged money laundering against President
Gilani personally appeared in the court when it took up the contempt case on January 19 and said the government could not reopen the cases against the president because he enjoys complete immunity in Pakistan and abroad.
Refusing to buy his arguments, the court told Gilani that he had no option but to write to Swiss authorities to revive graft cases against Zardari as no one was above the law.
The court had said that USD 60 million that were allegedly laundered will come back to Pakistan only if the letter is written to Swiss authorities.
Ahead of his court appearance, Gilani said that he would resign if the apex court convicts him in the case over his refusal to reopen graft cases against Zardari in Switzerland.
Gilani said his conviction by the apex court would automatically result in his disqualification as a member of parliament.
"Certainly, then there is no need to step down. If I am convicted, then I'm not even supposed to be a member of parliament," Gilani told reporters
On the other hand India is keeping an Hawk Eye View on this topic, Pakistan is a crucial member of this region and in order to ensure stability of this region it is necessary that Pakistan remains calm and normal and there is no political Instability in Pakistan.
