Like he has done several times in the past, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani will retreat once more when he appears before the Supreme Court on Thursday to explain why he did not write a letter to the Swiss authorities to reopen corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari, official sources said.
“It has been decided (by the PPP) that there will be no further confrontation with the judiciary. The PM will bow to end the crises,” a senior PPP leader said. “Several PPP meetings have concluded that a two-front confrontation (with the Army and judiciary) will not help democracy,” he added. “The issues with the Army are being settled and the Supreme Court will be assured of respect,” the official said.
The official said it is against this backdrop that the party has decided that barrister Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan will represent the PM in court. Mr Ahsan played a leading role in the movement for the restoration of the present top judiciary and, given his track record, one does not expect any hostility on his part in the apex court.
PPP sources said there was consensus among party leaders that the PM would submit before the court that immunity under Article 248 of the Constitution did not permit him to write a letter to the Swiss authorities and that he would also assure the court that he, as PM, could not even think of committing contempt of court.