—File Photo

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday held emergency talks among top leaders in his main ruling Pakistan People’s Party after the Supreme Court disqualified the prime minister from office.

Television footage showed Zardari, Yousuf Raza Gilani and Zardari’s son, party co-chairman, Bilawal, gathered in the heavily guarded presidency in the capital Islamabad.

Officials were tight-lipped on how the president would respond to the Supreme Court’s announcement that followed Gilani’s conviction on April 26 for contempt over refusing to reopen corruption cases against Zardari.

“President Zardari is presiding and Gilani is also attending, to assess the situation,” a government official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The president also summoned heads of coalition parties to the presidency for further talks at 8pm, the official added.

A view of National Assembly in session. - File Photo

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Law and Justice Farooq H Naek on Thursday told the National Assembly that Yousuf Raza Gilani is still the Prime Minister of Pakistan and will remain so as the Supreme Court has not disqualified him.

“The prime minister has not been disqualified. He is the prime minister and will remain the prime minister,” said Naek concluding his speech in the house in which he gave a historic account of the cases against Benazir Bhutto and President Asif Ali Zardari.

He said the prime minister has never disobeyed the court nor ridiculed it rather appeared before the judiciary as an obedient person, not like an arrogant PM.

“I want to clarify here that the Supreme Court has not disqualified Yousuf Raza Gilani as prime minister or member of the National Assembly,” Naek said, adding court verdict has just stated that it may entail serious consequences.

Earlier, members from opposition benches shouted “go Gilani go” and “no Gilani no” slogans against the prime minister.

Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan took charge of the protest and demanded the prime minister to resign from his post. “We will not allow a convicted person to rule the country,” he added.

Members from the treasury benches counter attacked the slogans from lawmaker sitting other side of isle.

The law minister also said as detailed verdict is yet to come and the prime minister would decide whether to file an appeal or not.

“Until the appeal is decided, the whole procedure would be considered as sub-judice,” he observed.

A supporter of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party holds a placard beside burning tyres during a protest against the contempt of court verdict handed to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in Karachi on Thursday. – Photo by AFP

ISLAMABAD: Hundreds of protestors took to the streets on Thursday in support of the prime minister after he was convicted of contempt of court for refusing to reopen a corruption investigation against the president.

The Supreme Court found Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani guilty of contempt over his refusal to obey an order to write to the authorities in Switzerland to ask them to restart corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

At least 500 workers and supporters from the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) staged demonstrations in several areas of Karachi, capital of Zardari’s home province of Sindh.

They burnt tyres and chanted: “One Zardari enough for all rivals” and “Gilani! We are with you.” More than 100 people rallied outside the parliament in Islamabad to criticise the guilty verdict against Gilani.

Wearing black armbands the protesters, including women and students belonging to the PPP, called the Supreme Court judgment a “political victimisation” of the party, an AFP reporter said.

They burnt tyres and blocked the road forcing police to divert traffic.

The protestors also destroyed a traditional weighing balance, considered a symbol of justice, after spitting and stomping on it. Police did not intervene.

They also shouted slogans against the chief justice.

“Injustice in the name of justice is unacceptable,” a banner carried by a PPP supporter read.

Protest rallies against the sentence to the prime minister were staged in several towns and districts across Sindh.

“People in several districts took to the streets, set ablaze tyres and chanted slogans in favour of the prime minister,” a senior official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

“Traffic remained thin and most of shops and markets in several towns and villages were closed,” he said.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. — File Photo

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the contempt of court hearing against Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani until tomorrow, DawnNews reported.

A seven-member bench headed by Justice Nasirul Mulk heard the case.

Irfan Qadir, the newly appointed Attorney General of Pakistan, and the prime minister’s counsel Aitzaz Ahsan were present in the court for the hearing.

During the hearing, Ahsan said that under Article 10-A of the constitution, the present bench could not try the prime minister for contempt as that would be in conflict with the principles of a fair trial.

In response to that, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa said that the court was exercising its authority to conduct the trial and that it was not the matter of an individual.

Justice Khosa moreover said that the ongoing trial did not involve a certain judge but was regarding the government’s failure to implement the apex court’s verdict.

Ahsan also requested the court to delay its decision on the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) implementation case.

“Let me complete the arguments regarding contempt of court first, otherwise, my arguments would be of no use after a decision on the NRO is announced,” said Ahsan.

In response, Justice Nasirul Mulk said that the prime minister had also requested to delay the NRO verdict.

The court was expected to issue its verdict on the NRO today.