Islamabad: Leaders of Pakistan`s ruling
coalition today decided to call an urgent session of
parliament on Thursday in the wake of a warning from the
Supreme Court that action could be taken against the President
and Prime Minister for failing to reopen high-profile
corruption cases.
The decision was made at a meeting jointly chaired by
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza
Gilani at the presidency late Tuesday.
The heads of the parties in the ruling coalition led by
the Pakistan People`s Party proposed that a session of the
National Assembly or lower house of parliament should be
"urgently called to discuss the latest political issues",
presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said.
The leaders agreed that the session of the National
Assembly should be called on Thursday at 4 pm, Babar said.
The leaders discussed the "current political situation
with particular reference to the most recent developments", he
said.
"Before the session of the National Assembly, a joint
meeting of the parliamentary parties will be held in the
Parliament House to work out the strategy to be adopted during
the National Assembly session," Babar said.
The meeting was attended by PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat
Hussain, Awami National Party leader Asfandyar Wali Khan,
senior Muttahida Qaumi Movement leaders Farooq Sattar and
Babar Khan Ghauri, and PPP leaders Khursheed Shah, Babar Awan
and Raja Pervez Ashraf.
Earlier, President Zardari cut short a visit to Karachi
and rushed back to the federal capital following the warning
issued by the Supreme Court.
Shortly after arriving in Islamabad, Zardari held a
one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Gilani.
The apex court warned that action could be taken against
both the President and Prime Minister for failing to act on a
court order to reopen corruption cases that were closed under
a graft amnesty issued by former military ruler Pervez
Musharraf in 2007.
The amnesty was struck down by the apex court in December
2009.
Since then, the court has been pressuring the government
to reopen corruption cases against Zardari and over 8,000
other beneficiaries of the amnesty.
The government has refused to act on the court`s
directives to reopen cases of alleged money laundering against
Zardari in Switzerland, saying the President enjoys immunity
from prosecution.
PTI
