Pakistan court to quash politicians' amnesty

Islamabad: The government Thursday said it would implement a Supreme Court verdict that quashed an amnesty for politicians and others, reopening corruption and criminal cases against them.

The judgment, announced Wednesday, directed the government to take immediate steps for revival also of money laundering cases in Switzerland, which had been shelved on request from Pakistan. 

Analysts said it looked uncertain whether a request by Pakistan to reopen the cases against Zardari would be accepted by the Swiss authorities.

The landmark verdict sparked fresh demands for resignations by President Asif Ali, defence minister Ahmad Mukhar, interior minister Rehman Malik and other former NRO beneficiaries holding positions in the government.

Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babbar said the president enjoyed immunity from prosecution under the constitution and the verdict "does not affect him."

He however underlined that the president and the ruling Pakistan People's Party "respect" the judgement of the highest judicial forum, which struck down National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) former president Pervez Musharraf had promulgated on October 2007.

A statement issued from the office of Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani said the government respected the verdict on NRO and it would implement it.

It said the government would await detailed judgment of the Supreme Court, which had announced a short order invalidating the amnesty ordinance.

But, the statement said the government had already "started consulting legal experts regarding implementation of the verdict."

The court has ordered all concerned courts to summon former NRO beneficiaries and proceed in the revived cases in accordance with the law.

The 17-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry also directed the government to increase the number of accountability courts to dispose of cases expeditiously. 

It said a monitoring cell in the Supreme Court would be set up comprising chief justice or another judge to be nominated by him to "monitor the progress and the proceedings" in reopened corruption and criminal cases.

Similar cells would be set up at the high courts in all the four provinces.

The Supreme Court suggested replacement of present head of National Accountability Bureau and its top prosecutors because of unsatisfactory conduct of the incumbents during the hearing of NRO case.

The top court admonished former Attorney General Malik Abdul Qayyum, holding him responsible for cessation of legal proceedings in foreign countries in money laundering cases.

Qayyum's "unauthorized" steps after promulgation of the NRO resulted in abandonment of Pakistan's claims to huge allegedly laundered moneys lying in foreign countries including Switzerland, the court pointed out.

"The federal government and other competent authorities are directed to proceed against Qayyum in accordance with the law," it ordered.

Private TV channels reported on Thursday that names of 247 people affected by the verdict, including some ministers, have been put a government exit control list, which is meant to bar foreign travel.

According to the reports, in an unrelated development the apex court has issued a notice to the interior minister to appear before it on December 24 regarding his "interference" with investigations related to some cases being heard by the court.

Do you support the court’s decision? What does this mean for President Asif Ali Zardari? Will this lead to the end of his career?