PM will have Aitzaz in his corner in SC

By
Hussain
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40
158

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leadership on Tuesday finally engaged its top legal brain, former interior miniBarrister Aitzaz Ahsen, seeking his help to rescue Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, who faces contempt of court for not implementing the Supreme Court order vis-à-vis the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).
A seven-member bench of the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday had issued a contempt of court notice to Prime Minister Gilani in the NRO implementation case and directed him to appear in person before the court on January 19 (tomorrow).
The prime minister has been summoned for not writing a letter to the Swiss authorities to reopen cases pending there despite the lapse of two years. However, Aitzaz has throughout been saying that the government has to implement the court order and there is no harm in writing the letter as the president enjoys constitutional immunity under Article 248 of the constitution. He said the president also enjoyed sovereign diplomatic immunity and no case against him could be initiated, even in a foreign land.
Aitzaz is highly respected among the legal fraternity for his mastery in legal matters, with a long track record of political struggle against tyranny and dictatorship throughout his career as a lawyer and as a politician.
According to an official statement, he called on Prime Minister Gilani and discussed with him the apex court’s contempt notice. During the meeting, it was agreed that Aitzaz would appear in the Supreme Court along with the prime minister as his counsel on January 19.
He had made history by defended two prime ministers in the court of law in different cases. Having previously fought cases in defence of slain former PPP chairwoman Benazir Bhutto in the mid-90s, he had also taken up a case in defence of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 2001.
He also successfully represented Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry’s case in the Supreme Court (PLD 2007 SC 578). Aitzaz and his associates had fought a legal battle against a 16-member team of government-hired lawyers representing the federation.
He also led the lawyers movement as president of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) to get democracy and the pre-emergency judiciary in Pakistan restored with peaceful resistance.
However, he caught the ire of Benazir Bhutto and President Asif Ali Zardari for defending the chief justice but he remained steadfast in his resolve to lead the movement, which finally succeeded. After the restoration of the judiciary, he announced that he would not appear in front of any bench headed by the chief justice.
Now finding itself in a difficult situation, the government reviewed its strategy and contacted him to represent the prime minister and he agreed to it as the seven-member bench hearing the case is not headed by the chief justice. This will be the first case of the present government that he has taken up since it came to power.
He was brought back to the top echelons of the party when he was given unprecedented respect on December 27, being asked by the president – against party traditions – to address the PPP public meeting at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh after him.

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40 COMMENTS

  5. Let the Govt. Die its own death.. Shouldn’t be removed.. Shouldn’t give them Political Martyrdom.. Shouldn’t be allowed to come back with a clean slate..
    They themselves want to be removed, the longer they stay, the worse it becomes for the Zardaris.. and THAT IS HOW IT SHOULD BE..

  15. By the end of the day it is the tax-payers money or the money which could be used for poor people of Pakistan will go to Mr Chaudhry's firm and eventually to his pocket.

    People of Pakistan are very innocent and can be, with no disrespect to them, tamed and misled easily. Zardari feels That with Aitezaz in front of the Chief Justice he will show some leniency. Who knows?

    • You draw all kinds of conclusions without even knowing who is on the bench. Chaudhry is not on this bench.

  16. @ashtraay Sir, thuggery, duplicity, selfishness and thievery are hardly admirable traits even in politics. I hope such "virtuous traits" do not spread to other politicians. Notwithstanding Mr Aitzaz Ahsan's legal skills the best he can do is apologise while trying to retain some dignity for his virtuous client.

  20. Atzaaz ahsan jewel on the crown of jialas.a legal authority a committed person well done.aaz ali zardari knows that who can stay on the wicket on bouncy pitch great captaincy.caa always says in favour of 248 now this issue will settle accordingly.caa also in favour of super macy of judicury,not supermecy of judges,now he in better positon to convince pm to write letter and to avoid anarchy absolute no harm.no more noori nuth and moula jutt style needed.only harmony and supermacy of institutions.if he succeed it will b a great favour to nation.and great blow to anti peace element.this bench cannot change the instructiOn of larger bench only face saving implement.caa has not done any thing wrong appearing in sc,because cjp is not heading this bench as his promise,so avoid negetive propaganda,he is the real body guard of democracy and rule of justice my God help him victorius

  21. Aitzaz is the right choice. The problem with our people is that they do not have basic information and still ready to condemn. I have read comments mentioning that Aitzaz should not appear before Chaudhry. The fact is that Chaudhry is not on this bench.

  22. Neither 'adal' nor 'jamhoor' but only money (to be paid out of tax payers money) seems to be behind AA's decision to represent the most corrupt PM in Pak history.

  23. He is the right man to mediate at this junction of judicial activism. It is not that important that in past he said that he will not appear before the Chief Justice, rather it is important that he coming in the fore-front to resolve the issue, being a loyalist of PPP. In fact; Army, Judiciary and Parliament; all are getting out of their shoes but none of them is in a position to over-power the other. This is really a hard time for our country. We must support any such move which apparently would lead to sort out the issues peacefully.

  24. Looking at it from an outsiders prospective; the people of Pakistan only have themselves to blame, they keep electing the same corrupt people into power, the same families continually come in. Politics is driven by power and money; the poor have nothing and will continue to suffer. The legal system is a mess, knowing too well how these people are operating, they are powerless.
    Bring in the army, put in place an interim care taker government and have fresh elections.

  25. Mr President is a very sharp minded person because he hire Aitzaz as PM counselor.Politics is being injected in Judiciary , in case memo Asma Jahangeer was hired to fight case for Haqqani. Nothing is going to happen the case will prolong till the election comes.

    God bless Pakistan

  26. Best and timely choice by the government. He knows how to tame these biased judges who are bent upon derailing this infant democracy. PM should stick to his guns and there is no need to say sorry sorry sorry at any cost. Parliament is supreme and not these "Bhaan Mati ka Qumba".

  27. The judges may be biased or not but all these law evading efforts by a large political party to cover up the thievery of their unsavoury leaders is hardly commendable.

    Aitzaz Ahsan is a professional legal expert. That his services are engaged by a disliked PM does not reflect badly or otherwise on either party. It does demonstrate a certain courage by AA, Pakistan being what it is.
    Under our justice system every accused, even an alleged child rapist or blasphemer has the right to be represented by a competent counsel. A lawyer should never be stigmatized for doing his/her job. No lawyer should ever be forced to refuse a case because he fears popular repercussions.

  29. * Alhamdulilah * Mr.A Ahsan is the , Trupm / Secret Card of , ALI Zerdary . Pakistan & ALI Zerdary Will . And Panjabi Establishment Sinking like a Stone . * Alhamdulilah *

  33. I thought he said he shall never appear before the C.J. Well I suppose all is fair in Love, war & Pakistani Politics.

  34. Mr. Aitzaz Ahsan what is the matter with the muscular mass encapsulated by your cranium? You are held in high esteem and your approach is professional, so what has attracted you to this case? Salams to Pakistan

  35. totally agree with Yaqboobaaziz ..by representing JAHIL and corrupt PM Mr. AItzaz will become eligible for a senate seat as well and once he gets that Zardari will make him PM and show a nicer PM to the nation and judiciary before next general election :)))

  36. I am not surprised.

    Nothing dramatic will happen. Nothing will change. Pakistan's nose dive into collapse will go on and these politicians and their hirelings will just get richer and richer

  37. A poor thinks about poor.A rich thinks about the richest persons bcoz after than,he will be benefitted more and more.Perhaps this is the tradition of the time.Lots of Governments were finished due to these reasons.But why the Champions of Democracy are silent on these issues.

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