Pak SC Terms Zardari’s Amnesty Illegal, Opposition Demands his Resignation

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari seems to be heading for trouble as country’s main opposition party demanded his resignation after the Supreme Court declared that an amnesty against corruption charges illegal.

Siddiqul Farooq, spokesman for the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) of former PM Nawaz Sharif, was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency that Zardari should resign on ‘moral grounds’.

“All the cabinet members must immediately tender their resignations,” he said.

Another senior PML-N leader, Khawaja Asif, said that Zardari should resign ‘in his own interest’ and that of his party.

“It will be good for the system,” he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency.

Pakistani newspapers have welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to annul the amnesty.

“Zardari: an accused president,” a front page headline in The News said.

It may be mentioned that the contentious law that granted senior politicians amnesty was enforced by former president Pervez Musharraf.

After the court’s declaration, Zardari’s allies could now be prosecuted, though the president himself is still protected by presidential immunity.

Zardari faces several pending court cases against him in Pakistan.

Before assuming charge as President, he spent years in prison after being convicted on corruption charges which he says were politically motivated.

Reports say that despite the pressure on government figures to quit, there are no signs that this is likely to happen.