All NRO beneficiaries liable for arrest, prosecution: Ahsan

Islamabad, Nov.7 : Former Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president and senior Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader, Aitzaz Ahsan, has said that all those who had used the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) for their benefit were liable for arrest and prosecution.

Ahsan said no one except President Asif Ali Zardari enjoys any constitutional immunity from prosecution.

“Zardari enjoyed the protection from prosecution as long as he was the president. No court can summon him till that time,” The News quoted Ahsan, as saying.

Commenting on Ahsan’s statements, constitutional expert Malik Qayyum, however, rejected the view that president enjoys a special immunity and could not be tried during his tenure in power.

“Civil proceedings could be initiated against the president and an election petition could be filed against him even during his tenure,” Qayyum said.

Earlier, Ahsan had told media persons that no court could summon the President even if there were cases pending against him, as he enjoys special immunity under the Article 248.

Ahsan also ruled out any change in the country’s leadership saying there was ‘no vacancy’ at the President''s House.

Ahsan met Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani separately to discuss the current political scenario.

According to sources, Ahsan discussed ways to pull out the government from the current crisis, which emanated after it backed out from tabling the controversial NRO in parliament.

The issue of restoring Ahsan’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Central Executive Committee membership was also discussed during the meeting, however, he refused to seek any favour and left the matter to Zardari, PPP’s co-chairman, to decide the issue.

--ANI