A National Embarrassment

Way back in the 1990s, it was discovered that there were some sixty million dollars deposited in a bank account in Switzerland which were kickbacks paid by a Swiss firm while it worked for the GOP. The then government proceeded to recover that amount and a case was registered for the repatriation of the funds in that account. The Swiss authorities froze that account which happened to be in the names of Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari who were not in power in those days. The money was proven to have been laundered and the account holders were convicted who appealed through a better lawyer who forced a retrial on technical grounds. Towards the end of 2007 the retrial was nearing completion and it seemed that the earlier verdict would be repeated. At about the same time General Musharraf the military dictator disguised as president of Pakistan was in serious trouble. An agreement was reached whereby all cases against Pakistani politicians including the Swiss case would be withdrawn and Peoples Party would shore up Musharraf’s presidency. NRO was issued and the cases were withdrawn. Benazir was murdered and PP won enough seats to form government and forced Musharraf to resign by threat of impeachment. Asif Ali Zardari became president.

After the restoration of the real judiciary as a result of a populist movement which shook the PP government the supreme court heard citizen’s petitions and annulled many ordinances and orders of General Musharraf including the NRO resulting in the reopening of all the cases which had been closed.

On another citizen’s petition, the supreme court ordered that a letter be written to the Swiss authorities to reopen the case for the repatriation of the 60 million dollars. The prime minister took the plea that since the main culprit of the case was Asif Ali Zardari who as president had immunity from criminal trial the letter could not be written.

The supreme court took this action of the PM as contempt of court and Mr. Gilani is under trial on this account. In my opinion the supreme court has taken a short sighted view of the matter.  If at all, Mr. Gilani should be tried for obstructing the course of justice and harming the nation by refusing to recover the 60 million dollars which belong to the people of Pakistan.