Pakistan parliament passes resolution supporting Yousaf Raza Gilani

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Pakistan's National Assembly Monday evening passed a resolution supporting democracy in the country, which gave a breather to beleagured Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani against whom the Supreme Court issued a contempt notice for not acting against President Asif Ali Zardari for corruption.

The lower house of parliament passed the pro-democracy resolution moved by Awami National Party (ANP) leader Asfandyar Wali, Geo News reported.

Gilani congratulated the MPs on passage of the resolution, while MPs belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party-Sherpao staged a walkout.

Gilani told the house he would appear before the Supreme Court as he was directed to appear personally before it Jan 19.

He said the government wanted no confrontation with any institution, including the judiciary, and that no one should degrade the mandate of the elected government.

"We need no certificate to prove our patriotism," Gilani said, citing sacrifices rendered by leaders of the ruling PPP for the cause of democracy in the country.

Gilani offered to resign on Monday after the Supreme Court issued him a contempt notice for not implementing a directive to act against President Asif Ali Zardari for corruption.

Zardari, accused of graft, had been granted amnesty under the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), which was issued in 2007 by then president Pervez Musharraf to facilitate the return of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and her husband Zardari. The NRO was struck down as void by the Supreme Court in 2009.

Gilani offered to resign to save democratic system and parliament, reported ARY News.

The prime minister made the offer after a meeting with Zardari. Both leaders discussed the current political situation in the country, Geo News quoted sources as saying.

Partners of Pakistan's ruling coalition also met and decided that Gilani would appear before the Supreme Court Jan 19.

A seven-member Supreme Court bench on Monday resumed hearing on the implementation of the NRO, under which the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had withdrawn cases against Zardari.

Dawn News quoted Law Minister Maula Bux Chandio as saying that the government would talk to lawyers regarding the court's notice and that the next step would be taken in accordance with the law and constitution.

Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq told the Supreme Court that he had not received any instructions from the government in response to six options put forward by the court in the case Jan 10.

The options included taking action against the president for violating the constitution, initiating contempt proceedings against the chief executive and the law secretary for not implementing the NRO verdict, and making them ineligible from the membership of parliament.

The apex court had earlier warned the government of action if it’s ruling on the amnesty law, which granted immunity to politicians and bureaucrats in corruption cases, was not implemented by Jan 10, 2012.

The court had also sought reopening of cases closed under the NRO. It had ordered the government to write a letter to the Swiss authorities to reopen cases against the president and set a seven-day deadline.

Just two days before the Supreme Court's five-judge bench order Jan 10, Zardari said he would remain the country's president for only the next 12-15 months and the next government could write to the Swiss courts on his alleged money laundering.

"Why would my government do so?" he asked Geo TV.

Zardari became the president in September 2008 for a five-year term.

The NAB had in 1998 accused Zardari and the late Benazir Bhutto of awarding a pre-shipment inspection contract to the Societe Generale Surveillance (SGS). This was done in return for six percent commission on the total amount the company received from the Pakistan government, it claimed.

Earlier in August 2008, Swiss judicial authorities, acting on the request of the Pakistani government, had closed the money laundering case against Zardari and released $60 million frozen in Swiss accounts.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Monday said the country would stand by the Supreme Court, after the apex court issued the contempt notice to Gilani.