Pakistani Court advise Zardari to quit as PPP head

Lahore: A Pakistani court on Thursday observed that President Asif Ali Zardari should have quit the political office of the head of the ruling PPP.

A five-judge bench of the Lahore High Court headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial made the observation while hearing a petition filed by a man named Muneer Ahmad Khan, who has sought contempt of court proceedings against Zardari for not complying with the court’s order issued last year.

Sajjad further said the court had not issued any direct order asking Zardari to step down as head of the Pakistan Peoples Party.

Petitioner Munir Ahmed’s lawyer A K Dogar said Article 248 did not provide immunity to the President in a contempt of court case.

The court subsequently adjourned the proceedings till Friday, when Dogar will continue his arguments.

Ahmed earlier told the bench that the President had not dissociated himself from his political office as was expected by a full bench of the Lahore High Court.

He said the court’s directions had not been followed and the President had not stopped “misusing” the presidency.

He claimed that the use of the presidency for “partisan” political activities by Zardari was illegal and amounted to contempt of court.

He asked the bench to issue a show-cause notice to the President and to punish him for contempt.