Sept 5 Deadline to Zardari to Dissociate From Politics

[SpArK]

Sept 5 Deadline to Zardari to Dissociate From Politics​

A Pakistani court today set September 5 as the deadline for President Asif Ali Zardari to disassociate himself from political activities and warned that he would have to face the consequences if he failed to do so.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial of the Lahore High Court asked the President to relinquish his post of chief of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party.

A short order issued by the bench in the evening said that if the President failed to act on the High Court's order of last year not to engage in political activities in the presidency by September 5, then the court might initiate contempt of court proceedings against him.

Chief Justice Bandial said the issue had constitutional importance and the court's verdict was in accordance with the Constitution. He said the court has provided the President ample time to resign from his post of co-chairman of the PPP and to suspend all political activities in the presidency.

Earlier in the day, the bench had said it would give another opportunity to the President to act on its order to dissociate himself from political activities. The bench made the observation in response to two petitions filed against Zardari for not quitting the political office of co-chairman of the PPP.

The bench noted that the High Court had issued an order on May 12, 2011 that said it expected the President to disassociate himself from political activities as soon as possible.

The court asked the petitioners whether the President had any immunity under Article 248 of the Constitution. A K Dogar, the counsel for one of the petitioners, claimed the President had no immunity in civil cases. Dogar is also the lawyer for Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed.


Dogar said the court should summon Zardari to explain his position just as the Supreme Court had summoned former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani in a recent contempt of court case.

Muhammad Azhar Siddique, the counsel for the other petitioner, argued that Zardari had not disassociated himself from political activities.

He claimed directions issued by the High Court in May last year had not been obeyed and the President had not stopped "misusing" the presidency for the activities of the PPP.


The two lawyers said the Constitution stated that the President should be impartial and non-political. If the President did not act in an impartial manner, then action could be taken against him, they said.
FILED ON: JUN 27

Sept 5 Deadline to Zardari to Dissociate From Politics | news.outlookindia.com

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

i wonder if he's been getting any sleep past month....he must be tossin n turnin

 

[somebozo]

Judical martial law..now if the court brings in the Army - would that be considered a bad thing?

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

Judical martial law..now if the court brings in the Army - would that be considered a bad thing?

they wont.

 

[Hyde]

Well Zardari has been violating the constitution by keeping the two positions for himelf. He is the party chairman as well as the President and that is against the constitution of Pakistan. He has been warned about the consequences before but he did not care about it. Now is the time for him to alienate himself from the party (and may be give the full power to his son) and stay as a President of Pakistan.. other option is he could resign for the Presidency and all country happy + he can retain the chair of the party chairman

Otherwise, Contempt of court proceedings will begin (and I believe nothing will happen in that as he enjoys complete immunity)

 

[Fracker]

Sept 5, looks like court was sleeping for so many years.. and still gave alot of time.

But in any case, I don't think Zardari even cares about court orders, deadlines or anything. Court should now face the truth that they cant implement their wordings. Especially wordings for people of Pakistan. Only political wordings like this are there and mostly for time consuming.

 

[Kompromat]

A man who can prosecute his own son , kick him out of his house can prosecute anyone. Think twice before screwing with our CJ.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

is he prosecuting his son

as far as i know, due to the ''emotional'' nature of that task they made CJ sit out on that case....this has obviously put him in an awkward position

it is good though that maybe the Supreme Court and other bodies are becoming serious about this corruption culture in Pakistani governance

it has gone on for too long

 

[Kompromat]

is he prosecuting his son

as far as i know, due to the ''emotional'' nature of that task they made CJ sit out on that case....this has obviously put him in an awkward position

it is good though that maybe the Supreme Court and other bodies are becoming serious about this corruption culture in Pakistani governance

it has gone on for too long

He could have perverted the course of justice and by sitting outside the prosecuting bench he did the right thing for transparency .

 

[iPhone]

Judical martial law..now if the court brings in the Army - would that be considered a bad thing?

there is a scary thought going around and that is that PPP might refuse to obey court's orders this time. Both on removal of the new PM and disassosiation of Zardari. At which point there will be a civil disobedience and mass movement against PPP which probably wont mean anything for PPP. When that happens Judiciary might be left with no option but to bring in the Army.
These last six months of this crap gov't are gonna be a drag.