ISLAMABAD: A seven member bench headed by Justice Nasir-ul- Mulk Monday framed charge against Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani in a suo moto case No. 4/2010 etc (Contempt of Court Matter) for non-compliance of para 178 of the Supreme Court judgement in National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).
He is the first prime minister of the country who has been indicted.
Gilani, who swept into the court dressed in a dark suit, grey tie, white shirt and cufflinks, was charged within minutes of appearing.
Judge Nasir ul-Mulk read out the indictment and asked the prime minister whether he had heard the charges.
“Yes,” Gilani replied.
“Do you plead guilty?” asked Jutice Nasir-ul-Mulk.
“No,” Gilani replied.
The court then ordered Attorney General (AG) Maulvi Anwarul Haq to prosecute the case, giving him until Thursday (Feb 16) and the defence until February 27 to file documents, which will then be recorded on February 28. After that, a date will be set for trial.
He was indicted over not implementing paragraph 178 of NRO verdict spreading over two pages.
All the judges signed the charge sheet one by one. Aitzaz begged time till 24 for submission of reply as he was going out of the country and will come back by 21st.
Hearing of the case adjourned has been adjourned till February 22.
The bench comprising Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany, Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Muhammad Athar Saeed after a brief proceedidngs of the contempt of court case framed the two-page charge sheet against the Prime Minister for non-compliance of the Supreme Court judgement on NRO.
Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan appeared before the court as counsel of the Prime Minister.
Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Asfandyar Wali Khan and federal ministers including Ghulam Ahmed Bilour, Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan, Syed Khurshid Shah, Mir Changeze Jamali, Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Rehman A Malik and Maula Bakhash Chandio, Governor Punjab Sardar Latif Khan Khosa and a large number of members of the Parliament and leaders belonging to PPP were also present in the court room during the contempt proceedings against the Prime Minister. (KMW NEWS)
