Pakistan Supreme Court indicts Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in contempt case

Feb 13, 2012 |

Agencies

Islamabad

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Pakistan Supreme Court on Monday indicted Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in a contempt of court case for failing to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

There was tight security as the prime minister reached the court premises, reported Geo News.

Gilani has refused to write to the Swiss authorities to recover money allegedly stashed away by the president, as directed by the Supreme Court, arguing that Zardari enjoys immunity under the constitution.

If convicted, Gilani, 59, could be imprisoned for six months and face possible removal from office after being disqualified from holding public office for five years.

Dealing a major blow to Gilani, Pakistan's apex court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry on Friday had rejected his appeal against framing of contempt charges over his failure to act on its repeated orders to revive cases of alleged money laundering against President Asif Ali Zardari Switzerland.

Gilani personally appeared in the court when it took up the contempt case on January 19 and said the government could not reopen the cases against the President because he enjoys complete immunity in Pakistan and abroad.

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