The fate of Pakistan’s embattled leaders, including President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, could be decided when the Supreme Court takes up the “Memogate” scandal and high-profile corruption cases on Monday, as the beleaguered government sought Parliament’s support amid signals that the Army would rally behind the court.
The National Assembly is expected to vote on Monday on a resolution that seeks endorsement and support for “efforts by the political leadership for strengthening democracy” and calls for reposing “full confidence and trust” in the leadership.
While Parliament considers the resolution, a 17-member Supreme Court bench will resume hearing of a case on reopening of corruption cases that were closed under the National Reconciliation Ordinance, a graft amnesty issued by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf in 2007.
A judicial commission appointed by the court to investigate
a mysterious memo that sought American help to prevent a feared military coup in Pakistan last year will also continue its proceedings on Monday. Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz, who triggered a storm in the country’s political circles by making public the memo, is due to testify before the commission on Monday although there are still doubts about his plans to travel to Pakistan.
The Supreme Court had accepted Army chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani’s request for a probe into the matter while rejecting the government’s contention that the issue should be investigated by a parliamentary panel. — PTI