President enjoys immunity, Gilani tells SC under Article 248 of the Constitution the proceedings were adjourned till February 03.: The proceedings were adjourned till Feb 01.Matter concluded and at 11.03 am: PM leaves SC building.
Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani reaches at the SC building. The PM drove himself to the court.Presidential Spokesman Farhatullah Babar too arrives.PM Gilani is facing charges of contempt of court. Prime Minister Syed Youuf Raza Gilani while presenting his views before the bench said he has spent six years in prison and was never reluctant to appear before the court. PM Gilani said Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Nusrat Bhutto also appeared before the courts. 'I cannot even think of ridiculing the court and all over the world the presidents enjoy immunity and Constitution of Pakistan also provides immunity to the president. That is why we did not write to Swiss authorities.'
Prime Minister Gilani appeared before the seven-member bench headed by Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk to plead his innocence before the apex court on a show-cause notice for contempt of court issued to him on January 16.Hundreds of policemen deployed to create a 3-tier security ring at Supreme Court.
All the allies are also here in honour of the court.
Prime Minister Gilani appeared before the Supreme Court to plead his innocence before the apex court on a show-cause notice for contempt of court issued to him on January 16.Gilani is the second prime minister after Nawaz Sharif to appear before the Supreme Court.
Supreme Court did initiate contempt proceedings against him for his failure to ask Swiss officials to reopen the case against President Asif Ali Zardari.Mr Gilani's lawyer hinted on Wednesday that a written request might yet be sent to Switzerland.If found guilty of contempt he could be banned from holding public office.
During proceedings, Aitzaz Ahsan said I am here only to defend PM Gilani, not Secretary Law.
'Only Law Secretary can inform why he did not write a summary detailing the president's immunity.'
He further said that until Asif Zardari is holding the office of president, letter cannot be written to Swiss authorities as he enjoys immunity under Article 248 of the Constitution.
Supreme Court's verdict will be implemented when President Asif Ali Zardari is no longer president, said Aitzaz Ashan. This is not a normal case need one month time to prepare, he pleaded.
Justice Khosa says the bench must be informed if anyone has immunity.Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk remarked that these are merely preliminary proceedings and time hasn't come for indictment.Later, the proceedings were adjourned till February 03.
Mr Gilani's embattled government is currently embroiled in disputes with the judiciary and also with Pakistan's powerful armed forces.Mr Gilani has long refused to write the letter to Swiss authorities, arguing that President Zardari has immunity from prosecution while in office.
Matter pursued by Supreme Court of Pakistan on Mr Zardari and his iconic wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, found guilty in absentia by a Swiss court in 2003 of laundering millions of dollars in kickbacks from Swiss firms as they were in government.
They appealed and Swiss officials dropped the case in 2008 at the request of the Pakistani government.
Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq reaches SC.
Information Secretary of PPP Qamar Zaman Kaira said the democracy is restored after many sacrifices and the prime minister is appearing before the court today.
08.46 am: Law Minister Maula Bux Chandio reaches.
08.50 am: Hina Rabbani Khar, Khursheed Shah and Nazar Mohamnad Gondal arrive.
09.00 am: Punjab Governor Latif Khan Khosa, Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Barrister Masood Kausar, National Food Security and Research Minister Israrullah Zehri, PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, CM Sindh Qaim Ali Shah and Federal Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim arrive at the SC.
The heads of the coalition partners, including PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Senior Federal Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan, MQM parliamentary leader Dr Farooq Sattar, Fata parliamentary leader Munir Khan Orakzai, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Punjab Governor Sardar Latif Khosa, Khyber-Paktunkhwa Governor Barrister Masood Kosar, cabinet members and senior PPP leaders is accompanying Prime Minister Gilani.
PM Gilani has hired the services of renowned lawyer Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan as his legal counsel in the contempt of court case.
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