Islam Times - New Pakistani PM granted immunity from prosecution

Islam Times - Amid protest by the Opposition Parties, Pakistan's Lower House of the Parliament has passed a new Contempt Law, which grants immunity to new Prime Minister and Federal Ministers from prosecution on contempt of court charges.

The new law will help Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf to seek immunity from prosecution on contempt charges he could possibly face this Wednesday if he like his predecessor refuses to reopen money laundering cases against President Asif Zardari.

At the heart of controversy, are the 60 million dollars that Swiss government recovered from the overseas accounts of President Zardari. He was convicted by three Swiss courts in a money-laundering case. But before Swiss Appeals Court could have sentenced him, all of a sudden money laundering cases were withdrawn in April 2008 after the US brokered a deal between President Zardari and the then military ruler General Pervez Musharraf.

In 2009, the Supreme Court struck down a discriminatory law under which President Zardari was given immunity from prosecution on money laundering charges and ordered to reopen all cases against him.

The Chief Justice of Pakistan says that the Supreme Court could strike down any law that is against the fundamental rights; an obvious reference to the discriminatory amendments being introduced in the "contempt law". Legal experts say the ruling party is losing viable political and legal options to defend the controversial closure of money laundering cases of millions of dollars against President Asif Zardari.