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By Kashif Hussain
LAHORE: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has completed consultation with the party leadership and allies of his government and has made up his mind to quit from his position in case of an unfavourable decision in the contempt of court case.
Well-placed sources in the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), on the request of anonymity, told Daily Times that the party (PPP) leadership has taken their coalition partners, especially the Chaudhry brothers of PML-Q, Altaf Hussain of MQM and Asfand Yar Wali of ANP, into confidence regarding this.
All of them consented to the decision to avoid friction with the Supreme Court over the contempt charges, they added.
The sources said that all the coalition partners were in favour of not writing a letter to Swiss authorities, seeing it as a violation of the constitution.
However, despite expressing their support to Prime Minister Gilani and pledging to accompany him to the Supreme Court, the allies suggested to the PPP leadership to avoid chafing with the judges on the issue, arguing it could provide ammunition to opponents, sources maintained.
The PPP and its coalition partners, having expressed their belief in supremacy of parliament on the constitutional issues, also asserted that the president of Pakistan, not only President Asif Ali Zardari but anyone who becomes head of the state of Pakistan, had constitutional immunity and parliament was the only right forum to address the issue, if needed.
They said since President Zardari had a clear immunity in the constitution of Pakistan, writing a letter to Swiss authorities would be a violation of the constitution, therefore the PPP, with the consent of the allied parties, had decided to avoid such constitutional breach, the sources said.
They added that after getting clarity on the matter, the party leadership had decided that Prime Minister Gilani would tender his resignation before the Supreme Court in person if he faced a situation in the contempt case, and would tell the court about the governments constitutional stance in the immunity issue.
The PM has also assured the central leadership of the party that he was ready to quit from his office of the chief executive of the country, but he would not take any step that violated his loyalty to the party and its leadership, saying he was a man of loyalty and prestige and would appear before the court in person and offer his resignation for preeminence of the constitution of Pakistan and continuity of democracy, the sources said.
The PPP sources further informed this scribe that keeping in view the sacrifices and loyalties of Gilani towards the party and the leadership, the PPPs central command had decided to accommodate his son MNA Syed Moosa Ali Gilani in the federal cabinet in an upcoming reshuffle.
Sources said President Asif Ali Zardari was happy with the performance and loyalty of the prime minister and had already expressed his satisfaction over him during his speech to the joint session of parliament.
He has agreed to adjust Moosa Gilani in the federal cabinet.
The sources said that the decision to accommodate Moosa in the federal cabinet was especially taken after Gilanis decision to resign if the court gave a harsh decision against him.
It is worthy to mention here that Moosa Gilani had been recently elected as member of the National Assembly in by-polls in Multan on the seat vacated by former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who has now joined Imran Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
LAHORE: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has completed consultation with the party leadership and allies of his government and has made up his mind to quit from his position in case of an unfavourable decision in the contempt of court case.
Well-placed sources in the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), on the request of anonymity, told Daily Times that the party (PPP) leadership has taken their coalition partners, especially the Chaudhry brothers of PML-Q, Altaf Hussain of MQM and Asfand Yar Wali of ANP, into confidence regarding this.
All of them consented to the decision to avoid friction with the Supreme Court over the contempt charges, they added.
The sources said that all the coalition partners were in favour of not writing a letter to Swiss authorities, seeing it as a violation of the constitution.
However, despite expressing their support to Prime Minister Gilani and pledging to accompany him to the Supreme Court, the allies suggested to the PPP leadership to avoid chafing with the judges on the issue, arguing it could provide ammunition to opponents, sources maintained.
The PPP and its coalition partners, having expressed their belief in supremacy of parliament on the constitutional issues, also asserted that the president of Pakistan, not only President Asif Ali Zardari but anyone who becomes head of the state of Pakistan, had constitutional immunity and parliament was the only right forum to address the issue, if needed.
They said since President Zardari had a clear immunity in the constitution of Pakistan, writing a letter to Swiss authorities would be a violation of the constitution, therefore the PPP, with the consent of the allied parties, had decided to avoid such constitutional breach, the sources said.
They added that after getting clarity on the matter, the party leadership had decided that Prime Minister Gilani would tender his resignation before the Supreme Court in person if he faced a situation in the contempt case, and would tell the court about the governments constitutional stance in the immunity issue.
The PM has also assured the central leadership of the party that he was ready to quit from his office of the chief executive of the country, but he would not take any step that violated his loyalty to the party and its leadership, saying he was a man of loyalty and prestige and would appear before the court in person and offer his resignation for preeminence of the constitution of Pakistan and continuity of democracy, the sources said.
The PPP sources further informed this scribe that keeping in view the sacrifices and loyalties of Gilani towards the party and the leadership, the PPPs central command had decided to accommodate his son MNA Syed Moosa Ali Gilani in the federal cabinet in an upcoming reshuffle.
Sources said President Asif Ali Zardari was happy with the performance and loyalty of the prime minister and had already expressed his satisfaction over him during his speech to the joint session of parliament.
He has agreed to adjust Moosa Gilani in the federal cabinet.
The sources said that the decision to accommodate Moosa in the federal cabinet was especially taken after Gilanis decision to resign if the court gave a harsh decision against him.
It is worthy to mention here that Moosa Gilani had been recently elected as member of the National Assembly in by-polls in Multan on the seat vacated by former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who has now joined Imran Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
