Hectic consultations continued throughout Sunday at the Presidency and the Prime Minister’s House to evaluate the situation that may arise after the Supreme Court frames charges against Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in a contempt case today amid high security as an ordinary citizen.
Apparently, there is no change in the government stance and the prime minister is expected to plead his case under the cover of Article 248 of the constitution to clarify his position as to why he did not write a letter to the foreign authorities, asking them to reopen cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.
After having already exhausted approximately all its constitutional and legal options in the NRO implementation case and subsequently in contempt case involving the Prime Minister, the government has been left with no way out of the crisis but to write the letter as was clearly told by the apex court.
However, the government, according to the sources, has decided that the prime minister will face contempt charges and at the same time avoid head-on collision with the judiciary at least until the Senate elections are held.
A meeting of the leaders of allied parties was held with PPP Co-Chairman President Asif Zardari in Presidency on Sunday night. The meeting was attended by Shujaat Hussain, President of PML-Q, Asfandyar Wali, President of ANP, Farooq Sattar, Parliamentary Leader of MQM and Munir Aurakzai from FATA. PPP leaders Khurshid Shah, Naveed Qamar, Senator Nayyar Bokhari and Raja Pervez Ashraf were also present in the meeting. According to the President’s Spokesman Farhatullah Babar, the meeting discussed current political situation and the forthcoming senate elections.
But the sources told Pakistan Today that the allies advised the government to exercise restraint in the case as they assured their moral and political support to it. The meeting also discussed the possible post-conviction of the PM scenario and decided to bring a new leader of the House in case Gilani is disqualified.
