Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday directed Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to ask Swiss authorities to revive graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari and to submit a report on the issue on March 21.
The illegal step by the government has tarnished the apex court's sanctity, according to retired Justice Tariq Mahmood.
The three main political parties in Pakistan on Sunday intensified their efforts for the formation of a coalition government after it became clear that the coup-prone country faced a hung Parliament after general elections marred by allegations of rigging.
The ruling Pakistan Peoples Party's top leadership has decided to contest the Supreme Court's move to frame contempt charges against Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, according to a media report on Friday. Gilani's lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan is likely to file an appeal in a few days against the apex court's order summoning the premier on February 13 for the framing of contempt of court charges for failing to act on orders to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari. T
The Pakistan government has announced that a Supreme Court judge will probe the killing of journalist Syed Saleem Shahzad, who was abducted and killed shortly after he wrote an article about the alleged infiltration of the Pakistan Navy by the Al Qaeda.
Pakistan's Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry on Wednesday hauled up the country's intelligence agencies for involvement in activities that were not part of their mandate. Chaudhry made the remarks as a three-judge bench resumed hearing a petition filed by former air force chief Asghar Khan against the funding of politicians by the powerful Inter-Services Intelligence to rig the 1990 general election.
Pakistan's Supreme Court has indefinitely adjourned the petitions challenging the release from detention of Jamaat ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, accused by India of being the mastermind of the terror attack on Mumbai. The apex court's direction comes two days after India said there was 'enough evidence' to continue investigations against the JuD chief in connection with the terror attacks.
Asked whether Musharraf was apprised of the matter, Kasuri said he would personally bring the case to the notice of the Pakistan president.
After weeks of wrangling, Pakistan Supreme Court on Wednesday approved a third draft of a letter that will ask Swiss authorities to revive graft cases against Asif Ali Zardari, with the government making it clear that any proceedings in that country would be conditional to the immunity available to the president.
Pakistan's Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan resigned on Friday citing "lack of cooperation" from the Law Minister, a day after he accused him of obstructing efforts to implement the Supreme Court's order to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari in Switzerland.
With the political crisis in Pakistan taking a violent turn, the Supreme Court on Monday offered to assist in ending the ongoing impasse between protesters and the Nawaz Sharif government.
Strategic analyst B Raman's take on the latest developments in Islamabad that have further cornered the Pakistani government.
An image of Pakistan new acting CJ Rana Bhagawandas.
Pakistan's Supreme Court on Monday overturned a High Court ruling to lift a travel ban slapped on Pervez Musharraf last year, a setback to the former military ruler facing multiple trials including one for high-treason.
With apex court shows no sign of backing down and the government planning to clip the wings of the judiciary another clash between the two is inevitable, says Amir Mir.
Pakistan is bracing for another day of violence that broke out in many cities after the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan for alleged corruption with the leaders of his party announcing a countrywide strike on Wednesday to protest against the fascist government.
A fresh application has been filed before the Pakistan Supreme Court seeking review of its decision to dismiss the Indian death row inmate Sarabjit Singh's petition challenging his death penalty, The Daily Times reports.
Rehman Malik has been appointed as an advisor on interior affairs to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, a day after Pakistan Supreme Court suspended former interior minister's membership of Parliament on the grounds of dual nationality.
In Jhelum and a few other places, the police fired teargas and made several arrests to control the surging crowds.
Pakistan's Supreme Court on Monday adjourned till Wednesday the hearing of a review petition challenging the death sentence given to Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh for his alleged involvement in the bomb blasts.
Pakistan's Supreme Court, which is hearing petitions against the release from house arrest of Jamat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, on Thursday imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 each on the federal and Punjab governments, for delaying the case with their 'non-cooperative attitude'. Saeed, the founder of terror outfit Lashkar-e-Tayiba, has been accused by India of masterminding the terror attack on Mumbai.
Pakistan's mighty military establishment and a defiant judiciary seems to have joined hands to give a tough time to a fragile Pakistan People's Party government at a critical time -- just before the election of the new prime minister following the disqualification of Yousaf Raza Gilani by the supreme court on contempt charges. Amir Mir reports.
Pakistan's Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notices to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's son Ali Musa and a top bureaucrat in a case relating to alleged irregularities in the import of a large amount of chemical Ephedrine, commonly known as "poor man's cocaine" and used to make a medicine for colds, flu and asthma.
Pakistan's Supreme Court has turned down a request from authorities to close a case against irregularities in the import of a chemical that allegedly involved Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani's younger son Ali Musa Gilani.
In deepening tensions between the government and the judiciary, the Pakistan's Supreme Court has issued an ultimatum to embattled to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani directing him to "immediately" write to Swiss authorities to revive graft cases against the President.
After being summoned by Pakistan's Supreme Court over his actions during the emergency, ex-military ruler Pervez Musharraf may face more legal troubles, with a British Muslim politician announcing that he will move a London court against him for alleged 'war crimes'. Lord Nazir Ahmed of Rotherham, an arch-foe of the former President, has stepped up his campaign against him. The PoK-born Labour peer has announced that 'war crime charges' would be brought against Musharraf.
The Pakistan Supreme Court on Monday asked authorities to provide 'solid grounds' for detaining Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, more than a week after two petitions were filed before it against the release of the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawaah chief, a key accused in the Mumbai attacks, from house arrest.
'Now I will see how you escape...'
These are obviously not 'organic' desertions but brought about under intense military pressure, post the 9/5 arrests. It seemed as if the party was being dismantled the same way it was brought into power!, notes Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at RA&W, India's external intelligence agency.
The Pakistan Supreme Court on Friday objected to contents of a fresh draft of a letter to be sent to Swiss authorities over graft charges against President Asif Ali Zardari and gave government time till October 10 to finalise it in accordance with its order that sought revival of the cases.
The Opposition parties need 172 members in the 342-member house to orchestrate the downfall of Prime Minister Khan.
Pakistan was headed for a political crisis late Wednesday night with uncertainty surrounding Asif Ali Zardari continuing as president after the Supreme Court scrapped an Ordinance under which he and several other prominent politicians had been granted immunity from prosecution in corruption cases.
With his tenure as the President of Pakistan coming up for scrutiny by the country's highest court, Pervez Musharraf has put off his return to Islamabad from London for the time being as advised by his close aides.
Pakistan has reportedly executed three death-row prisoners, convicted for the 1998 hijacking of a Pakistan International Airlines Fokker.
India's political system came in for praise on Monday in Pakistan's Supreme Court, with the country being described as a "good example of a democratic state" with politicians exhibiting the virtue of tolerance.
Pakistan's Supreme Court directed the government on Thursday, to send a letter to Swiss officials for reopening the graft cases against Asif Ali Zardari with the Prime Minister's approval by 1 pm, after a Swiss prosecutor said the cases could not be reopened as the President enjoys "absolute immunity" as a head of state.
'The army has stopped short of exerting the sort of influence it may have done historically.' 'It is comfortable with its relations with the civilian government as the superior partner.'
Communal violence is like a lava erupting from a volcano which scars the ground it touches, senior advocate Kapil Sibal told the Supreme Court on Wednesday while arguing for Zakia Jafri who has challenged the SIT's clean chit to 64 persons including Narendra Modi, the then Gujarat chief minister during the 2002 riots there.
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