Letter on revival of graft cases against Prez sent: govt to SC

The Pakistan government today informed the Supreme Court that it has sent a letter to Swiss authorities to revive graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari on the condition that such a move would be linked to the international immunity available to heads of state.

A report submitted on behalf of the government by a Deputy Attorney General said the Law Ministry had dispatched the letter to Swiss authorities through the Foreign Office on November 5.

The report also contained documents that proved the letter had been dispatched.
The report further stated that the letter had been drafted in accordance with the Supreme Court's orders.

Law Minister Farooq Naek told the media that he expected the government would be able to furnish documents proving that the Swiss authorities had received the letter by the time the apex court takes up the matter of the graft cases again on November 14.

The government's letter, which has been signed by the Law Secretary, will be handed over by the Pakistani ambassador or his representative to the Attorney General of Geneva, Naek said.

The Supreme Court had earlier said that it would discharge contempt proceedings initiated against the premier for failing to revive the cases against the President once it gets proof that the letter has been received by authorities in Geneva.

The text of the letter was the same as that agreed to by the court and Law Minister Naek last month.

On October 10, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court approved the draft of the letter after examining it behind closed doors.

The draft made it clear that any proceedings in Switzerland would be conditional to the immunity provided to the President by the Constitution and Pakistani and international laws.