Updated on
Summary The Supreme Court has twice rejected the Swiss letter drafts as unsatisfactory.
The Supreme Court adjourned the hearing ofNRO implementation case till Octber 10, Dunya News reported.The apex court directed the federal government to revise draft of a letter to be sent to Swiss authorities to reopen corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.A five-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa once again objected to the content of the draft while hearing NRO implementation case on Friday.During case hearing, Justice Khosa stated that draft of the letter does not follow court’s directives.The bench was satisfied with the first and second paragraphs of the letter but objected to the third paragraph, saying that it was not in accordance with article 178 of the constitution.Federal Law Minister Farooq H. Naek, who presented the amended Swiss letter draft, requested the bench to adjourn the case hearing as he wanted to consult the matter with the prime minister.Justice Khosa said that matter is just inches away from resolution, which is why the court would give the government more time.On Sep 18, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf told the Supreme Court that the government has decided to withdraw a letter sent out during Pervez Musharrafs tenure to close graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.Accused of graft, President Zardari was granted amnesty under the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) in 2007 by then president Pervez Musharraf to facilitate his return home from exile, and primarily that of his wife, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.Both were suspected of using Swiss accounts to launder about $12 million in alleged bribes paid by companies seeking customs inspection contracts in the 1990s.The NRO that granted immunity to politicians and bureaucrats in corruption cases was struck down by the Supreme Court as void in 2009. The apex court in January ordered former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to write a letter to the Swiss authorities to reopen cases against Zardari.Gilani was convicted April 26 of contempt of court, and was disqualified as prime minister as well as parliament member on June 19.
