Pak PM Raja Pervez Ashraf may go Gilani way

Islamabad, Sept 10:

Prime Minister

might also be shown the door like his predecessor Yousuf Raza Gilani, reported the

on Monday. It was said that PM Ashraf was reluctant to write to the Swiss authorities to reopen graft cases against President

and Pakistan People's Party chief Asif Ali Zardari.

The report said the favourable ambiance that had grown following the PM's appearance before the Supreme Court of the country in contempt case on Aug 27 might soon wither away.

The PM, during his appearance before the apex court, had assured a five-judge led by Justice Asif Saeef Khosa that he would find an amicable solution by the time he made his next appearance before the court on Sept 18.

According to a source, a proposal by certain federal officials to write a letter to the Swiss authorities in compliance with the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) in a way that it did not hurt the government has been scrapped. It is learnt that President Zardari scrapped the proposal before leaving for the Non-Alignment Movement Summit in Iran.

When the PM appears before the court again, he may defend himself by saying that it was not him but the entire cabinet who refused to write a letter to the Swiss authorities. According to the report, such decision will justify the stand of Gilani loyalists who has pressurised the government against writing any letter to the Swiss authorities. Gilani was disqualified on Jun 19 by the Supreme Court for not abiding by the latter's order to open the graft cases against Zardari.

Fawad Chaudhry, adviser to the PM on political affairs, said the government abide by the Constitution which stopped it from putting the President at the mercy of a foreign judiciary.

Former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association Tariq Mehmood said the tussle between the executive and judiciary would only intensify in the near future. The daily reported him saying that in case Ashraf was disqualified, the next incumbent could be a woman picked from the special reserved seats. According to Mehmood, the PPP would not lose a National Assembly seat if the new incumbent was also ousted.

OneIndia News

(With agency inputs)