Prosecuted for Contempt Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani

Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has tried for contempt of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, who if convicted could be sentenced to up to six months in jail and be forced to relinquish power.

The Supreme Court brought charges against Gilani for disobeying his orders and not write a letter to the Swiss government to reopen a case involving alleged money laundering against his party leader and president, Asif Ali Zardari.

The Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk read two pages with the charges against the prime minister, who pleaded not guilty. The next hearing in the Supreme will take place on February 22, after the defense presented its evidence Gilani on 27.

The Supreme Court, faced with the ruling People’s Party (PPP), opens up a case against the prime minister and a pulse with the executive. The same Gilani said yesterday in an interview with the Al Jazeera catarí the consequences of a possible sentence.

“There is no need to resign. If I am convicted, I will not be assumed to be representative, “he conceded. The procedure for the loss of his seat Gilani, who tear only if the prime minister was convicted, could still take weeks or months in Parliament.

In recent months, the government of PPP has been cornered by the Supreme and the military, which has dominated the country for more than half of Pakistan’s history.

In another court case hanging has faced civil and military powers, known As Memogate. ” The scandal was caused by an alleged document through which the Pakistani government asked the Pentagon to help in case of a military coup after the death of Osama Bin Laden in May last year at a U.S. military operation.

The Army interpreted the note the Government denies the truth of which, as a betrayal and asked the Supreme Court to look into it. The current term ends in 2013, but analysts and diplomats expect early elections to overcome the institutional crisis.