Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani approached Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan as his lawyer in the contempt of court case issued against him, reported Express News 24/7 on Tuesday.The hearing of the case will begin on January 19, in which Gilani has agreed to appear personally.Ahsan, who is also the former president of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), has been asked to brief Gilani about the legalities in the case and to accompany him in the hearing.
The announcement came after the PPP leader met with PM Gilani on Tuesday.
Ahsan, on several occasions, had expressed his reservations about appearing before Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry owing to his involvement in the lawyers’ movement.
However, PM’s spokesperson said today that Ahsan has agreed to represent Gilani in the case.
Earlier, the bench hearing the NRO implementation case had observed that PM Gilani had failed to comply with the Supreme Court’s order issued on December 16, 2009, and issued a contempt of court notice to him.
The contempt of court law envisages that, after providing Gilani with a preliminary hearing on January 19, the court may fix a date for framing a charge against him and decide the matter on that very date.
Contempt notice against Gilani challenged in SC
A petition was filed on Tuesday in the Lahore Registry of the Supreme Court challenging the contempt of court notice issued to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani during the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) implementation case hearing.
The petitioner, Barrister Zafarullah, argued that the apex court has violated Article 248 (1), according to which, the prime minister remains immune like the president and a contempt notice cannot be issued to him.
Zafarullah also said that the court cannot force the premier to write a letter to Swiss authorities.
The barrister also asked the court that the notice should be taken back.
The announcement came after the PPP leader met with PM Gilani on Tuesday.
Ahsan, on several occasions, had expressed his reservations about appearing before Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry owing to his involvement in the lawyers’ movement.
However, PM’s spokesperson said today that Ahsan has agreed to represent Gilani in the case.
Earlier, the bench hearing the NRO implementation case had observed that PM Gilani had failed to comply with the Supreme Court’s order issued on December 16, 2009, and issued a contempt of court notice to him.
The contempt of court law envisages that, after providing Gilani with a preliminary hearing on January 19, the court may fix a date for framing a charge against him and decide the matter on that very date.
Contempt notice against Gilani challenged in SC
A petition was filed on Tuesday in the Lahore Registry of the Supreme Court challenging the contempt of court notice issued to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani during the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) implementation case hearing.
The petitioner, Barrister Zafarullah, argued that the apex court has violated Article 248 (1), according to which, the prime minister remains immune like the president and a contempt notice cannot be issued to him.
Zafarullah also said that the court cannot force the premier to write a letter to Swiss authorities.
The barrister also asked the court that the notice should be taken back.
