Zardari enjoys immunity as president: Aitzaz

Pakistan

Zardari enjoys immunity as president: Aitzaz

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Aitzaz Ahsan said president enjoys immunity in Pakistan and abroad as long as he is in office.

18 January,2012 04:13 pm

PPP leader and counsel for the Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan said that Asif Ali Zardari has complete immunity as president and he enjoys immunity in Pakistan and abroad as long as he is president.During an interview with Dunya News, Aitzaz Ahsan said that there is no harm in writing a letter to the Swiss authorities.Ahsan is a senior leader in Zardari s Pakistan People s Party (PPP) and well respected by the judiciary for his role at the vanguard of a lawyers movement that forced the government to reinstate independent judges in March 2009.The standoff between the government and the courts over corruption cases facing political leaders rests on principle alone given that Switzerland says Zardari is immune from prosecution as long as he remains in office.Aitzaz Ahsan also defended his client while saying that Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani is not guilty of contempt of court but should bow to pressure and write to Switzerland about reopening graft cases against the president.The comments from Aitzaz Ahsan are the clearest indication yet that Yousaf Raza Gilani may step back from the brink of further confrontation with the judiciary when he is summoned before apex court on Thursday.The Supreme Court initiated contempt proceedings against Gilani, exasperated by his refusal to write to the Swiss asking them to re-open graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari since an amnesty expired in 2009.If the prime minister were to be charged with contempt, he would be stripped of office and could face up to six months in prison -- leaving little option but satisfy the judges, resign or risk being unceremoniously sacked.Gilani s decision to appoint Ahsan as his lawyer has been seen as a conciliatory gesture to the judiciary -- on a collision course with the government that is widely expected to help force early elections this year.Ahsan said he did not believe Gilani would be convicted.I don t think the prime minister has committed contempt of court by not writing the letter. Through my arguments I will try to convince the court that the prime minister is not guilty of contempt.PPP leaders accuse unnamed conspirators of plotting to bring down the government before its mandate ends in early 2013, in what many have interpreted as a judiciary-military axis working behind the scenes.