Aitzaz hopes court would accept his view point in PM contempt case

Aitzaz Ahsan, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s counsel in the contempt of court case, has said that the court had the authority to award prison sentence to the PM, but hoped that the matter would not go to the extent of a sentence.
Talking to reporters at Aiwan-e-Iqbal after a function in connection with death anniversary of Allama Iqbal, Aitzaz hoped that the court would accept his view point. He said he did not talk about allegations of corruption against President Zardari but only submitting before the apex court that as long as Zardari was president, letter can neither be written to the Swiss Authorities nor it should be done. He said he never opposed writing a letter to Swiss officials but wanted its suspension as long as Zardari was president. To another question, he said it was for the court, not for any media group, to decide whether Ali Musa Gilani had committed a crime or not.
Aitzaz said he never said that since Yousaf Raza Gilani belonged to a religious family, there should be a separate law for him, but a media group had made him the target of criticism. He said disliking of President Zardari by certain people was a different thing, but he was an elected head of state and he could not be thrown before a foreign magistrate. He pointed out that the world powers did not allow action against Raymond Davis and murderers of 18 people in Afghanistan and take them away. The senior lawyer said if the diplomatic immunity of the president was done away with, then we would not be in a position to talk about Dr Aafia Siddiqi.
To a question, the PM’s counsel said the court was yet to listen to the attorney general and the judges would also consult among themselves in the contempt case and after that a verdict would come. He said if the prime minister was disqualified, the matter would come to the speaker for 30 days and after that the Election Commission would give a decision within three months. Aitzaz said in case the prime minister was disqualified, the PPP Core Committee would decide about the next prime minister.