Top court throws out plea to review amnesty order

Islamabad: Pakistan's Supreme Court yesterday dismissed the government's petition for review of a landmark verdict striking down a National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) or amnesty granted by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf to politicians facing corruption cases.

A 17-judge full court bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry passed the order five days after it resumed hearing on the petition following a gap of several months. The NRO was promulgated by Musharraf in October 2007 and thrown out by the top court on December 16, 2009.

Beneficiaries

While declaring the NRO null and void, the Supreme Court had ordered reopening of all cases closed under the decree. The beneficiaries of the amnesty decree also included President Asif Ali Zardari.

The bench directed the authorities concerned to comply with its earlier detailed order on the issue in letter and spirit and without delay.

Prominent lawyer and Pakistan People's Party veteran member Aitzaz Ahsan told reporters outside the court that the government was bound to implement the orders.

He however pointed out that the president has immunity under the constitution from any prosecution,

Yaseen Azad, president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, also expressed the view that the verdict should be implemented in accordance with the court's directives. The court knows how to get its orders implemented, he said.

Money-laundering case

The NRO verdict had directed the government to write to Swiss authorities for reopening of a money-laundering case shelved on Pakistan's request in the wake of the amnesty ordinance. The government has all along taken the stand that no such action could be taken because the president enjoys constitutional immunity.

The rejection of the review petition by the court creates a difficult situation for the government, analysts said.