Thaindian News

Islamabad, Jan 16 (IANS) The Supreme Court Monday issued contempt notice to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in the National Reconciliation Order (NRO) case.

The court directed the prime minister to appear personally before the bench Jan 19, Geo News reported.

A seven-member Supreme Court bench Monday resumed hearing on the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) implementation.

Pakistan’s Supreme Court Jan 10 expressed its displeasure with the government over not implementing its verdict on the NRO and referred the case to the chief justice.

The apex court had earlier warned the government of action if its ruling on the amnesty law, which granted immunity to politicians and bureaucrats in corruption cases, was not implemented by Jan 10, 2012.

The verdict sought reopening of cases closed under the NRO.

The court had also ordered the government to write a letter to the Swiss authorities to reopen cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

It had set a seven-day deadline for the government to implement the NRO verdict and submit a report.

The options by the five-judge bench of the supreme court included: take action against the president for violating the constitution, initiate contempt proceedings against the chief executive and the law secretary for not implementing the NRO verdict, and making them ineligible from the membership of parliament.