CHARGED!

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A sad day it was, indeed. Political benefit and legal detriment aside, Yousaf Raza Gilani becomes the first prime minister of Pakistan to have been formally indicted for contempt of court for “willfully flouting, disregarding and disobeying” the court orders.
Determined to contest the charge, the prime minister, who drove himself to the apex court building, appeared before the seven-judge bench and decided to plead not guilty after Justice Nasirul Mulk read out the charge-sheet. He was accompanied by leaders of his government’s allied parties. On his right sat Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and on his left was Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali Khan – the message in their support was: we will swim and sink together. Without wasting a single minute, Justice Mulk, who headed the bench, straightaway read out the charge-sheet and completed the proceedings within half an hour. In case of his conviction, the prime minister can be sentenced to six months in jail and disqualification from holding any public office for choosing to plead not guilty.
Besides Justice Mulk, the bench comprised Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany, Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Muhammad Ather Saeed.
CHARGES: The charge-sheet states: “That you, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, have willfully flouted, disregarded and disobeyed the direction given by this court in Para 178 in the case of Dr Mobashir Hassan v Federation of Pakistan (PLD 2010 SC 265) (NRO case) to revive the request by the government of Pakistan for mutual legal assistance and status of civil party and the claims lodged to the allegedly laundered moneys lying in foreign countries, including Switzerland, which were unauthorizedly withdrawn by communication by Malik Muhammad Qayyum, former Attorney General for Pakistan to the concerned authorities, which direction you were legally bound to obey and thereby committed contempt of court within the meanings of Article 204(2) of the 1973 Constitution read with Section 3 of the Contempt of Court Ordinance (Ordinance V of 2003), punishable under Section 5 of the Ordinance and within the cognizance of this court. We hereby direct that you be tried by this court on the above said charge.” The charge also carried three questions: “Have you heard and understood the charge? Do you plead guilty to the charge? Do you have any defence to make?”
After Justice Mulk read out the charges, the three-page charge-sheet was handed over to the prime minister through his senior counsel Barrister Aitzaz Ahsen. The charge-sheet was signed by the judges as well as the prime minister. While reading the charges, Justice Mulk asked Gilani: “Have you heard and understood the charge?” Gilani replied: “Yes.” Then the judge asked him: “Dou you plead guilty to the charge?” Gilani replied in the negative. To the third question: “Do you have any defence to make?” Gilani replied in the affirmative. To these three questions of the bench, Gilani also said: “I will reply to the charge-sheet in writing. I will defend myself.” On this, Justice Mulk asked him: “Do you accept the charge-sheet?” Gilani said: “No.” When Justice Mulk proceeded further to fix the next date for the hearing, Ahsen engaged him for a while on the grounds of his unavailability on certain dates and it took some time for the judges to finally decide that Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq would act as prosecutor in the contempt of court case and submit all relevant documents including the list of witnesses of the case by February 16. The attorney general was also directed to record evidence from the prosecution and submit it to the bench for exhibition by February 22. The bench also exempted the prime minister from his personal appearance before it for the time being. The bench asked Ahsen to submit relevant documents from the defence, including the list of witnesses and evidence by February 27. The prime minister’s counsel will defend the charge-sheet and evidence on February 28, three days before the March 2 Senate elections in which the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is expected to emerge as the single largest party. The bench will also resume hearing of the case on February 28. It will be a summary trial and could be completed in a day or may drag on for months. Federal Ministers Ghulam Ahmed Bilour, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Khursheed Shah, Mir Changeze Jamali, Naveed Qamar, Ahmed Mukhtar, Rehman Malik and Maula Bakhash Chandio were also present in the court besides Punjab Governor Sardar Latif Khan Khosa and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Barrister Masood Kausar. After the proceedings, the prime minister left the court building through the exit gate reserved for judges. Strict security arrangements were put in place in and around the Supreme Court during the prime minister’s appearance.

35 COMMENTS

  1. I wish the court took more time to address the burning issue of Balochistan and the enforced disappearances therein. Thats an issue that has the more implications for national security and solidarity than the NRO or the Memo! Lets see the SC try to reign in the army!

  2. Its a poker game and supreme court, at the moment, seems to play their cards better than gillani. In the end nothing will happen but supreme court will try to come out as the hero of the masses and the govt. will give the judges huge sums of money and plots for their inaction. Wake up people. supreme court judges are in bed with the govt. why did they wait this long to proceed with conyempt charges? its noting but a game.

    • Dude its Law, u need to go on with certain procedures. Law does not depends on what u see on the media, but on witnesses and evidences produced.. that is why its taking time…

  3. Nothing will come out of this hype just the way it happened in the case of Memo Scandal. No one in the country seems to address the real issues of ordinary folks, whose lives are in jeopardy just because of foolish acts of our ruling elite.

    At best, Mr. GAYlani can submit his resignation, which in fact will be too little too late & even that "generousity" is going to bring no good to the masses!

    • Bcoz they are the most curroptiest leaders of a Pakistan enemy party.Why they should not improve theslves? ARE THEY ANGELS?THEY ARE THEY NOT ACCOUNTABLE TO COUNTRY`S CONSTITUTION? THEY ARE THE WORST AND POWER GREEDY PERSONS.ALL ARE THIEVES PAKISTAN DUSHMAN LEADERS.

    • It`s because the ppp and it`s leaders have broken all the previous records of
      corruption and wrongdoings.

  4. The Chief Justice belongs to Baluchistan and fully understands the problems.But the remedy is not entirely in his hands unless the government in power complies to the court rulings.Why are we as nation behaving like ostriches!

    • CORRECTION PLS: The CJ does not belong to Baluchistan, but he came to SC on the quota for that province. He belongs to Faisalabad, and is first cousin of Rana Sanaullah, the (un)-Law Minister of Punjab.

    • This is another fraud. The Chief Justice is from Faisalabad. He is a cousin of PML(N) Rana Sanullah. He was inducted into the judiciary on a Baluchistan domicile. What a waste of a deserving real Baluchi candidate.

  5. … great outcome … the PPPZ needs to face the syern consequences of its misdeeds … and should not be able to hide behind 'jumhuriyat kou khatra' slogan …

  6. KASH AGR THORI SE BE GHAIRAT HO TAO FORAN RESIGN KER DO.HAKUMAT AOR PAKISTAN TUNARI JAGIR NAHI HAI LIKE BHUTTO ESTATE.GO AND RELAX WHAT YOU WILL YOU DO FOR THE NATION IN THE REMAINING TIME AS YOU HAVE HAVE WITH THE LAST 4 YEARS.PERHAPS ISLAMABAD WAITS FOR YOU TO BUILD ANOTHER PALACE FROM OFFICIAL MONEY.

  7. WHEN A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL IS HANDED OVER REMOVAL,HE IS NOT SUPPOSED TO CHALANGE IT.WHY YOU ARE ATTACHED AND THERE IS NO LAWS IMPOSED ON YOU IN THE COUNTRY? WHY OTHER PARTIES ARE WITH YOU,BCOZ YOUR PARTY HAS AWARDED THEM HUGE AND DECENT MININSTRIES AND WHY THEY LEAVE YOU ALONE?BCOZ IN THE HAMAM ALL ARE NAKED AND ARE PROVED TO BE THIEF AND LUTAIRAS.KASH INN LOGOAN KO KUCH KHUDA AOR POOR NATION KA KHIAL HO MAGR HAKUMAT KA NASHA BOHAT HE THIRD CLASS AOR GHANDA HOTA HAI.KOI SHARM AOR HAIYA NAHI HAI.LAWAS ARE ONLY FOR POOR AND SOURCESLESS PEOPLE.SHEAT ON THIS MENTALLY.KIA KHABBI CHORE JURAM MANTA HAI NAHI NAHI NAHI WO BE KAHTA HAI MEIN MASOOM HOAN.

  8. crook defending the chief crook! in the process taking whole Pakistan hostage and still proud of it for what?

  9. It is the job of elected govt to prevent killings in Baluchistan or Karachi. The SC is doing its job by punishing the corrupt like Gil or Az and forcing sensitive agency to bring the missing to meet their parents, a job which the elected regime should have done.

  10. Instead of maligning late BB by calling it a trial of graves, they must be seen facing the trial themselves and not hide behind her. Shame on them.

    • u belong to stupid anti democracy elite class of Urban Punjab or stupid Urdu speaking elite of Karachi. U dont believe in power of innocent Pakistani. U r racist and jealous of a President from a minority province. U r racist and destroyer of Pakistan.

  11. Noora Khustee New Dungal ..

    Khasee Judiciary Vs Corrupt Prime Minister and his team

    Jo jeeta who hee Sakinder

  12. I dint understand why this man is smiling and waving after being charged with crime. Does he think that he has been doing something he can be proud of. He is defying the law for sake of safegaurdin Mr. ZORDARI so that he can keep looted and plundered money. He is shameless man – SHAME ON him.

  13. I have no faith in Chief Justice. In that country,every individual thinks individually for himself or herself . There is lack of national patriotism and collective love for PAKISTAN.
    Even politicians,who tout angelistic qualities such as Imran Khan will never be able to solve problems of that country. The chief Justice,himself is a controversial figure .

  14. Inqailab inqailab.. Khooni In-qailab is the only solution .. otherwise we are very near to be called a failed state like somalia and just short of a UN resoulation that authorized foreign forces to get hold of nukes while we fight and kill each other with each other based on lanaguage and race and soical status

  15. I wonder where our country is heading for where party loyalty is given precedence over loyalty to country and law / constitution. Look at this most corrupt and most incompetent prime minister in the history of Pakistan how he is waiving at cameras as if he has done something great. He should have instead hidden his face in shame.

  16. I hope we get rid of this most corruptest of corrupt government in the history of mankind. These policitians should be allowed to escape the country. Put all of them on ECL and let the trial begin

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