Islamabad, Aug 13: As a fresh confrontation appeared imminent between Pakistan's PPP government and the judiciary, former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani has warned that this time the ruling party will not take any “unconstitutional” move by the Supreme Court against his successor “lying down”.
Gilani, the vice-chairman of the PPP, said that if Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf is dismissed by the apex court, the PPP would not accept the verdict.
Ashraf became premier after the apex court convicted Gilani of contempt and disqualified him for not reopening corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari in Switzerland.
“Every day is not Sunday,” Gilani said when he was asked at a news conference in Lahore yesterday about the PPP's reaction to any move by the apex court to dismiss Ashraf.
“An unconstitutional verdict will not be accepted... The masses will not accept it. We'll resist instead of taking the decision lying down,” he said.
Gilani warned the judiciary that there would be public protests if Ashraf is disqualified.
“We will resist the move and take the matter to the people of Pakistan,” he added.
The court recently charged Ashraf with contempt and summoned him to personally appear on August 27 to explain why action should not be taken against him.
Legal experts have said Ashraf faces the possibility of being disqualified like Gilani.
Gilani reiterated that the PPP cannot approach the Swiss authorities to act against Zardari as the President enjoys immunity from prosecution.
The judiciary should “rectify its fault” and review its judgement that seeks the reopening of the cases against the President, he said.
