Islamabad: Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court of Pakistan that Farooq H Naek, federal law minister, has been directed to withdraw Malik Qayum’s letter written to Swiss authorities.
The prime minister appeared before five-member bench, headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, of the apex court hearing the NRO implementation case against President Asif Ali Zardari.
The bench has also exempted the PM from appearing before court and adjouned the hearing till September 25.
During today’s hearing, PM Ashraf directed Law Minister Farooq H. Naek to withdraw the application forwarded to the Swiss authorities by then attorney general Malik Qayyum.
The graft cases were shelved in 2007 after Malik Qayyum wrote letters to the Swiss authorities following the promulgation of the NRO.
The court directed the prime minister to provide record of the letter written by Qayum.
The dispute centers on an old graft case in Switzerland against Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari. The case was suspended several years ago after the Pakistani government issued an ordinance giving Zardari and other politicians immunity from prosecution in old corruption cases.
The Supreme Court later declared the ordinance unconstitutional and demanded the government write to Swiss authorities authorizing them to reopen the case.
Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf told the court Tuesday he has instructed the law minister to write the letter.
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