SC comes to Kayani, Pasha rescue

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Pakistan’s Supreme Court has asked the government to give in writing that it will not sack Army chief Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and the head of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Ahmed Shuja Pasha.

“The government has been asked to give in writing that it has no intention of sacking the army or ISI chief. They must give this assurance in two weeks,” a court official said.

Last Thursday, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani appeared before the top court to defend himself in a contempt of court case.

The Supreme Court had summoned Mr Gilani as he did not write a letter to the Swiss authorities to reopen corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari as ordered by it.

The cases were withdrawn under the controversial National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) by the military regime of Pervez Musharraf in 2007.

The apex court termed the NRO as illegal and unconstitutional in 2009 and ordered reopening of over 8,000 cases against various politicians and bureaucrats.

Media reports claimed the government is considering removing the army and ISI chief as the civil and military leadership have developed irreparable differences.

A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Tariq Parvez gave the orders after Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq, who appeared on notice, told the court that the government had no intention to remove the army chief and the director general of the ISI and that they would serve their tenure.

He said the petition against any possible move to sack the military and intelligence leadership was based on assumptions and hypothesis. The Chief Justice observed that the situation should move towards improvement.

“It would be better if the government submits its stance in writing,” the Chief Justice said, and directed the attorney general to take formal instructions from the government and submit the reply in writing over the issue within a fortnight. “We want to resolve the issues and it would be better in the interest of the country as well as the nation,” Justice Chaudhry said.

The petition seeking to block any attempts by the government to sack the military and intelligence leadership was filed by lawyer F.K. Butt when the brewing tussle between the government and the military over the memo controversy led to the sacking of the defence secretary.