NRO Case: SC says could disqualify President, PM from holding office

KARACHI: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday said that President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani may be disqualified from holding office for not implementing the verdict in the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) case.

Earlier, a five-member bench of the Supreme Court (SC) headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa on Tuesday announced its verdict in the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) implementation case.

The Supreme Court will refer the following six options in the NRO implementation case to the Chief Justice under a larger bench for hearing:

The six options are being handed over to the Attorney General:

1.Indict Prime Minister under Article 63(1)(g), declare him unqualified to be elected as member of parliament.
2. Contempt of court against Chief Executive and Federal Law Secretary.
3. Court may form a commission to get verdict implemented.
4. President may seek immunity under Article 248.
5. Contempt of court against Chairman NAB.
6. People of Pakistan may decide.

The apex court said that Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani is not an honest man as he violated his oath.

Action can be taken against the Prime Minister, Law Minister and Law Secretary, the apex court announced further. The court said that all three individuals could be disqualified from holdong their offices.

The court said that those who violated their oath can be disqualified under Article 62 while the Prime Minister can be disqualified under Article 63(1)(g). However, the President can seek immunity under Article 248, the Supreme Court said.

It added that the reply of NAB Chairman was not satisfactory as he did not take any steps to implement the Supreme Court verdict.

Earlier, the apex court had resumed the hearing in the NRO implementation case.

The next hearing of the case will be on January 16.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2012