SC summons Nargis Sethi as witness

Pakistan

SC summons Nargis Sethi as witness

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Apex court summoned Nargis Sethi as witness in the case and adjourned hearing of case till March 7.

28 February,2012 03:46 pm

Supreme Court of Pakistan today summoned Cabinet Secretary Nargis Sethi as a witness in contempt proceedings against Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and adjourned the high-profile case till March 7.During the proceedings, PM Gilanis lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan said the premiers defence was that he never intended to act in contempt of court.Gilani was bound to act on advice from officials regarding the reopening of graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari, Aitzaz said.The Prime Minister should be granted a chance to provide a complete defence (of his actions), Ahsan told the seven-judge bench led by Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk.The bench accepted Ahsans application to call Cabinet Secretary Nargis Sethi as a witness.In his application filed in the Supreme Court yesterday, Ahsan said he intended to use several summaries or official documents sent to the Prime Minister to prove that Gilani had acted on advice from senior officials that the graft cases against Zardari could not be reopened.However, two other witnesses named in Ahsans application – Law Secretary Masood Chishti and former Law Minister Babar Awan – have refused to appear in court.The Supreme Court recently rejected Gilanis appeal and indicted him for contempt of court after he refused to act on orders to reopen cases of alleged money laundering against Zardari in Switzerland.