Pak SC gives Ashraf more time after climb-down
27 Aug 2012
Pakistan's Supreme today gave prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf more time to reply to a show-cause notice for contempt of court, directing him to appear before it again on 18 September.
The extension came after an apparent climb-down by Ashraf, who sought more time to write to Swiss authorities to reopen corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari. So far he has argued that the president is immune to such proceedings.
Ashraf, 61, appeared before the court and requested that he be given four to six weeks to write the letter to Swiss authorities.
"I need time to understand the matter … as it involves certain legal and constitutional points," Ashraf told the court. He also pleaded that the show-cause notice be withdrawn.
"I will make a sincere effort to solve this issue in a way that the dignity and honour of the Supreme Court will be maintained," Ashraf said.
Ashraf's predecessor, Yousuf Raza Gilani, was disqualified by the court for contempt after he refused to accept the court's orders to reopen graft cases against President Zardari (See: Pakistan Supreme Court disqualifies Prime Minister Gilani).
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