PML-N said Monday it would boycott a banquet being hosted by the prime minister for Turkey’s premier, as a protest against the Pakistani leader’s conviction for contempt.
The snub from Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-N is likely to embarrass Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in front of his visiting Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is widely admired in Pakistan.
On April 26, Gilani became Pakistan’s first sitting prime minister to be convicted in court, for refusing to ask the Swiss authorities to reopen corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.
Gilani had refused on the grounds that the head of state enjoys immunity.
The PML-N has demanded that Gilani resign, saying the conviction disqualifies him from office and has called for early elections, not due before February 2013.
“No one (from the party) is going to the dinner, because we do not recognise him as prime minister,” PML-N media coordinator Asim Niazi told AFP.
Erdogan flew into Islamabad on Sunday for a three-day official visit. He is due to address a joint session of parliament before the banquet later Monday.
Senior PML-N leaders said, however, that the party would set domestic politics aside to attend the parliamentary session, because “Erdogan is our honoured guest”.
The allegations against Zardari date back to the 1990s, when he and his late wife, ex-premier Benazir Bhutto, are suspected of using Swiss accounts to launder about $12 million allegedly paid in bribes by companies seeking customs inspection contracts.
The Swiss shelved the cases in 2008 when Zardari became president and a prosecutor in Switzerland has said it will be impossible to re-open them as long as he remains head of state. Gilani has vowed to appeal his conviction.
What nonsense! On one hand PML(N) will attend the parliament to welcome the leader of a moslem country who has always stood by Pakistan in it's hour of need and on the other hand you will boycott a reception in his honour. There comes a time to sett aside petty politics and show unity.
Pakistanis grow up! Why not organise a long march welcoming him instead of declaring
him off limits to the public. What message will he carry home about the safety in pakistan.
We continue to reinforce the view that pakistan is a dangerous place to visit!
what utter stupidity !!
He is guest of the state of Pakistan and these polical parties should set aside their differences and give him a warm welcome as he has always stood by Pakistan during hardship and times of difficulty
Although the politics of PMLN is beyond comprehension but here they seem to have a point – the reception is being arranged by a convicted person while a joint parliamentary session is a different matter.
I find your comment beyond comprehension too! The joint parliamentary session is being hoisted by the Govt. of Pakistan headed by the Prime Minister and the President. Prime Minister Erdogan is aware of the facts. No judicial decision is absolute. Mr Gilani has the right of appeal!
Let us come down from our high horses and stop washing our dirty linen in front of a foreign diginitary. He is visiting Pakistan and not the Parliament.
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The court have not declared PM as disqualified. The matter has to be referred to Speaker, who will decide in view of constitutional provisions. PM has the right to appeal, which has yet to be lodged before SC. Why PMLN is in such a hurry. Knee jerk decisions by Nawaz always cost him political loss.
Every body recognise Gillani as PM…except chamchas of Haramain Sharrif.
They are serving good food. He should have protest marched in the dinner …
Not very smart …
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