Gilani to consult lawyer on SC ultimatum on graft cases

Islamabad, Mar 11: Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said he is "confused" and "surprised" by the Supreme Court's ultimatum asking him to approach Swiss authorities for reopening graft cases against the President and he will take a decision on it after consulting his lawyer.

He made it clear that he did not think he had committed contempt by not acting on the court's earlier orders to revive cases against President Asif Ali Zardari in Switzerland.

"I am confused as it is not clear which case the Supreme Court wants me to address in the letter (to Swiss authorities)," Gilani said during an interaction with a group of Pakistani journalists last night.

"I follow rules, I follow the Constitution and I don't feel that I have committed any contempt," he said in response to the questions about the court's March 8 order directing him to write to Swiss authorities on reviving the cases against the President.

Significantly, the court had said that he should act without waiting to consult his legal advisors.

Gilani said he had to sign many files and take decisions in the national interest every day and he was not sure which case the Supreme Court had referred to.

He said he had "full respect" for the judiciary and would decide his future course of action after consulting his lawyer.

The Supreme Court has fixed March 21 as the deadline for Gilani to write the letter to Swiss authorities.

It issued the directive while hearing a case regarding the implementation of an order striking down the National Reconciliation Ordinance, a graft amnesty that benefited Zardari and over 8,000 others

PTI