Zardari's master plan to deal with NRO beneficiaries in line with Supreme Court's diktat

Islamabad, Sep 25 (ANI): Following Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani's statement in the Upper House asking the beneficiaries of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) to resign, President Asif Ali Zardari has reportedly finalised a list of 242 functionaries who would be shown the exit door.

According to a private TV channel, Zardari finalised a list of incumbent government functionaries who had benefited from the ill-fated NRO, The Nation reported.

During a meeting held on Wednesday, Zardari and Gilani had reportedly resolved that the NRO beneficiaries would have to go by the spirit of the apex court's verdict against the ordinance, the paper said.

According to sources, the government came up with the summary on the cases against Zardari in the Swiss courts after the decision to take a firm stand on the presidential immunity under the constitution, and give an honourable or at least safe exit to the rest of the fellow beneficiaries.

Although Zardari's name tops the list of NRO beneficiaries, yet he considers himself safe under the immunity provided by Article 248 of the constitution. However, the rest of the beneficiaries including Interior Minister Rahman Malik and Secretary General to the President Salman Farooqi, along with three diplomats- Wajid Shamsul Hassan, Husain Haqqani and MB Abbasi- might have to step down, the paper said.

Earlier, speaking in the Upper House, Gilani had defended Zardari by saying that he enjoyed immunity under Article 248 of the constitution. At the same time, vowing to respect the judiciary and implement its orders in letter and spirit, he had asked the beneficiaries of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) to voluntarily resign from their positions as government servants. (ANI)