Have you heard of any country where the apex court wants to hand over a sitting president to a foreign magistrate?

Will not write letter to Swiss authorities, PM tells SC

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday submitted his reply to the Supreme Court in the contempt of court case, DawnNews reported.

In the reply, the prime minister formally informed the SC that he would not write the letter to the Swiss authorities to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

The prime minister’s lawyer Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsen’s associate Barrister Gauhar submitted the reply, consisting of 24 pages, to the apex court.

The PM claimed in his reply that he completely trusts the SC, but expressed reservations on the bench.

Gilani stated that he was wrongly convicted by courts for eight and ten years earlier too, but that he was as innocent then as he is today.

The prime minister claims that his decision to not write to the Swiss authorities was in good faith, and that the constitution does not allow him to write the letter. The reply further argues that presenting the president before a foreign would be in violation of the Constitution.

Earlier today, Aitzaz had said that it was not necessary that court’s verdict against Gilani would result in the premier’s disqualification.

Aitzaz said that Supreme Court should not take any decision on March 21 without hearing him.

Moreover, he also said that a sentence of less than two years could not disqualify the prime minister. Aitzaz added that following the constitution of Pakistan does not indicate that they are at odds with the judiciary.

He said that certain elements were trying to create a rift between the government and judiciary however they would not be allowed to succeed.

Courtesy: DAWN.COM

Via » Twitter

ROVER’S DIARY: What’s the hurry to get the president out? – SDBabar Ayaz

The cost of intellectual dishonesty, dangerous foreign and national security policies and corruption done during the military governments has always been condoned retroactively

The game plan of the establishment — at the cost of the economy and people’s nerves — apparently is to get President Zardari out. They have a two-pronged strategy: one, playing on the prevailing perception that all the corruption starts and ends with the prime minister and president. So they should be declared corrupt by the courts and unfit to rule; and two, that he is a threat to national security if the commission declares that Husain Haqqani wrote or dictated the mysterious memorandum.

Removing the president constitutionally is difficult because a two-thirds majority is needed in parliament to impeach him. It is not possible at this stage in view of the interests of the coalition parties. Once the new members to the Senate would be elected on March 2, it would be more difficult as under Article 47, the constitution requires two-thirds majority of parliament — Senate and National Assembly — for impeachment. It says: “…the president may, in accordance with the provisions of this Article, be removed from office on the ground of physical or mental incapacity or impeached on a charge of violating the constitution or gross misconduct.”

Showcause to Kayani’s Man Over Affidavit on Memogate

By Rezaul H Laskar

Excerpt;

At loggerheads with the powerful Army, the Pakistan government has issued a showcause notice to the Defence Secretary for submitting an affidavit on the memo scandal to the Supreme Court without seeking approval from the Defence Minister.

Lt Gen (retired) Khalid Naeem Lodhi considered to be very close to army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, was issued the notice last week, official sources said. …

… The PPP insiders further said Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s sharp criticism of the Pakistan Army on Thursday was triggered by Lodhi’s refusal to obey a directive from the government.

… Sources said Lodhi submitted the affidavit without getting it cleared by Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar.

… The following day, Gilani issued a directive that Lodhi should submit a fresh affidavit that was more in line with the government’s stance but the Defence Secretary refused to obey, officials of the PPP and other sources confirmed. …

… It was after Lodhi refused to obey the government’s directive that Gilani strongly criticised the military in two separate speeches on December 22. …

…. Speaking in parliament, Gilani said it was unacceptable for the army to function as a “state within a state” and questioned the military’s failure to detect Osama bin Laden’s presence in Pakistan for six years. …

Read more » Out Look

Break PAKISTAN – SAYS PIR MAZHAR UL HAQ, EDUCATION MINISTER OF SINDH

“We Don’t Belong To Pakistan, Pak Army Is Not Ours. We Want Separate Sindh” – Pir Mazhar Ul Haq

PIR MAZHAR is talking about Pakistan’s disintegration – Instigating Sindhis to break Pakistan. Sindh has never witnessed such a h——-. He exploited genuine Sindhi sentiment for a sovereign and prosperous Sindh. He is a senior minister now, dreaming to be the next chief minister with MQM support. The language of the video clip is Sindhi & urdu (Hindi).

Video clip adopted from facebook → YouTube → Siasat.pk

Former Sindh chief minister apologised for events on 12 May, and saying he had nothing to do with the bloodshed because he wielded no real power

Pleading innocent: Arbab equates Karachi killings with May 12 carnage

By Hafeez Tunio

SINDH – KARACHI: In a surprise move, former Sindh chief minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim apologised for events which unfolded four years ago on May 12, saying he had nothing to do with the bloodshed because, at that time, he wielded no real power as the province’s chief executive.

Arbab Rahim, who belongs to Thar and elected to the Sindh Assembly, has been living in Dubai since the PPP government came to power. …

Read more → The Express Tribune

SINDH: Schools, colleges to remain open in June

By: Syed Jafar Askari

KARACHI – The Sindh Education Department has decided that summer vacations will be observed in two months from July to August instead of June to July.

It is also decided that the female students will be awarded scholarships to enhance literacy rate among women segment of the society. These decisions were taken in a meeting of Steering Committee of Sindh Education Department, held on Saturday. Sindh Education Minister Pir Mazhar ul Haq presided over the meeting ….

Read more : The Nation