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Fresh names circulate, but PM Yousaf Raza Gilani sticks his ground
The apex court of Pakistan found the PM guilty of violating its orders by refusing to reopen corruption cases against the President
Kunal Majumder
New Delhi
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Pakistan Prime Minister Gilani outside the Supreme Court after his court appearance in Islamabad on 26 April
Photo Courtesy: Press Information Department, Government of Pakistan |
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Industry and Manpower minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin will, in most probability, replace Yousaf Raza Gilani as the Prime Minister of Pakistan if Gilani resigns, according to Pakistan People’s Party sources. The other name doing rounds is Minister for Petroleum Dr Asim Hussain. However, the sitting PM has so far refused to give in.
Earlier in the day immediately after the Pakistan Supreme Court’s decision to hold him guilty of contempt was announced, the federal cabinet held a special session and asked Gilani to continue in his post. The PPP stronghold of Sindh and parts of Punjab have reported protests by PPP workers who are forcibly shutting downs shops.
The apex court of Pakistan found the PM guilty of violating its orders by refusing to reopen corruption cases against the president. As a punishment Gilani was given a symbolic sentencing of 30 seconds of detention in the courtroom. Opposition parties led by PML (N) leader Nawaz Sharif and PTI chief Imran Khan immediately demanded his resignation. Sharif even asked for fresh elections. “He (Gilani) should step down without causing further crisis,” Sharif told a news channel in Pakistan. Imran Khan tweeted: “After SC judgment PM has lost whatever shred of legal & moral authority he had.”
However, the question still remains—will Gilani give in? Immediately after the verdict PM's lawyer barrister Aitzaz Ahsan said that the prime minister was not disqualified after the verdict and that an appeal challenging the decision would soon be filed. "The appeal will go before a larger bench of the Supreme Court,” he said. Ahsan also expressed his surprise that Gilani was accused of ‘scandalising’ the judiciary in the SC judgment even thought it was part of the original charge against the prime minister.
Kunal Majumder is a Senior Correspondent with Tehelka.
kunal@tehelka.com
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