ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf will appear before the Supreme Court today (Monday) in the contempt of court case, a crucial meeting of leadership of the ruling PPP and its allied parties decided Sunday night.
The apex court last month issued a contempt notice to the PM for not implementing its order of writing to the Swiss authorities to reopen money-laundering case against President Zardari. He had been asked to personally appear before a five-judge bench to respond to the notice.
The meeting co-chaired by President Asif Ali Zardari and the prime minister at Aiwan-e-Sadr discussed the current political situation in the country with particular reference to the court cases the government was facing. Law Minister Farooq Naek gave a comprehensive briefing on the issues involved and the options available to tackle them.
After an in depth discussion on the points raised by the law minister and weighing available options, the meeting decided that in line with the coalition government’s policy of showing respect to the majesty of law, the prime minister would appear before the Supreme Court.
It was further decided that as a demonstration of solidarity the coalition partners would also accompany the PM to the courtroom, like they did when former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani appeared in response to a similar notice. Gilani was charged for contempt and disqualified from office in the same case as he had denied court orders regarding the NRO judgment implementation.
The coalition partners also resolved to remain united in facing all the challenges confronting the government and the prime minister. The president and the prime minister thanked the coalition partners for their continued support in the face of all challenges and said that their support was most valuable for political stability in the country.
Former PM Yousuf Raza Gillani, ANP President Asfandyar Wali Khan, Chaudhry Pervez Ilahi, Raja Basharat Ahmad, Dr Farooq Sattar, Babar Ghauri, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Afrasiab Khattak, Syed Khursheed Ahmad Shah, Rahman Malik, Farooq Naek, Munir Aurakzai, Hameedullah Jan Afridi, Senator Rashid Ahmad, Senator Kulsoom Parveen BNP-Awami, Khuda Bix Rajar PML-F and Farhatullah Babar attended the meeting. In a related development, a meeting was also held at the interior ministry to ensure foolproof security on the occasion of PM’s court appearance. At least 30 people are expected to accompany the prime minister, including leaders of coalition partners and some of the federal ministers, to the court.
A special five member SC bench headed by Justice Saeed Khan Khosa will take up the contempt of court case against the PM Raja for not implementing apex court’s its judgment on NRO. It is to be seen if the court would send another PM sent packing by charging him for contempt, or use some other option this time.
The court on July 12, 2012 had ordered the incumbent prime minister to act in the matter forthwith, saying; “PM Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has merely stepped into the shoes of his predecessor in office and, thus, he too is bound to implement the relevant directions of the court regardless of any advice tendered earlier or in future.”