SC gives govt 7 days to write Swiss letter

Dunya TV

Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf appeared in SC for the second time in NRO implementation case. Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that he was willing to revoke the Attorney General s letter that had asked for the closure of graft cases against the President. PM Ashraf directed Law Minister Farooq H. Naek to withdraw the application forwarded to the Swiss authorities by then attorney general Malik Qayyum. The graft cases were shelved in 2007 after Malik Qayyum wrote letters to the Swiss authorities following the promulgation of the NRO. The Supreme Court, however, in December 2009, declared the ordinance unconstitutional and ordered the reopening of cases against the politicians. The cases that had been closed by Malik Qayyum`s letter can now be reopened by the Swiss authorities if they choose. Further, the prime minister while requesting the court to adjourn the case until end of September, informed that he needs more time to draft the letter. The court said that the powers of withdrawing the letter should be delegated to the Law Ministry by tomorrow and directed the government to write the letter to Swiss authorities by September 25. The apex court also exempted the prime minister from appearing in the next hearing. In April 2012, Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani was thrown from the PM s chair by an order of the SC that found him guilty of contempt of court for failing to reopen the cases against Zardari. Ashraf too was charged with contempt of court after repeated failure to implement its order.