Thaindian News

Islamabad, Feb 22 (IANS) Evidence was submitted Wednesday in the Pakistan Supreme Court which heard Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s contempt of court case for refusing to reopen corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.Attorney General Maulvi Anwar-ul-Haq submitted documentary evidence, reported Geo News.

The attorney general’s statement was also recorded and he presented the attested copies of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) verdict.

A seven-member bench of apex court headed by Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk would examine the proofs submitted by the attorney general against the prime minister.

The next date of hearing was fixed Feb 28.

Maulvi Anwarul Haq had been asked by the court to act as the prosecutor.

The apex court had issued Gilani a contempt notice Jan 16.

Gilani had appeared before the Supreme Court Jan 19 in the contempt case for not acting against Zardari for corruption and defended his move, saying that the constitution provided immunity to the president.

The apex court had warned the government of action if its ruling on the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), which granted immunity to politicians and bureaucrats in corruption cases, was not implemented by Jan 10, 2012.

The court had also sought reopening of cases closed under the NRO, struck down as void in 2009. It had ordered the government to write a letter to the Swiss authorities to reopen cases against the president.

Zardari, accused of graft, had been granted amnesty under the NRO which was issued in 2007 by then president Pervez Musharraf to facilitate the return of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and her husband Zardari.