Pakistan's Prime Minister on Thursday, Jan 19, told the country's top court that the president enjoys immunity, while appearing on contempt charges over his refusal to ask the Swiss to re-open graft cases, AFP reported.
"I have come today to show my respect to this court," Yousuf Raza Gilani told the Supreme Court in a statement. "It will not give a good message to proceed against a president who is elected by a two-thirds majority."
Pakistan’s highest court escalated its clash with the government on Monday by initiating contempt of court proceedings against Gilani for failing to pursue corruption charges against his boss, President Asif Ali Zardari.
The Supreme Court was clearly infuriated after the government’s lawyer said the government had given no instructions on how to respond to the court’s demands.
Justice Nasir ul Mulk ordered Mr. Gilani to appear Thursday to explain why he should not be charged with contempt, a charge that could open to the door to his dismissal from office.
Prime ministers are rarely called to court in Pakistan and the order was a measure of the seriousness of the clash between the two institutions, as a hawkish military hovers in the background amid sporadic rumors of a coup.
