Zardari immune, even the Swiss say so

Heralding good news for the embattled Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), the Swiss authorities have expressed their inability to reopen the graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari because he enjoys immunity as the head of state. According to Swiss authorities, President Zardari enjoys immunity against all criminal charges and no action can be taken against him till he holds the post of president. “This is without prejudice to the legal rights and defences of presidents/heads of state which may be available under the law, constitution and international law,” the Swiss letter states. Federal Law Minister Farooq Naik has confirmed receiving the letter and said that he would himself apprise the president about its contents. The much awaited letter that led to ouster of former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani from his office was written to the Swiss authorities in November 2012. The apex court had given the government one-month deadline to write the letter to the Swiss authorities to withdraw a previous letter to the Swiss government by former attorney general Malik Qayyum, seeking closure of alleged graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.