ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) has rejected the Intra Court Appeal (ICA) filed by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani against the verdict of a smaller bench for framing charges of contempt of court against him.
"The appeal is dismissed," Chief Justice (CJ) Iftikhar Chaudhry said in court, reading the decision of the eight-member bench.
PM Gilani will now have to appear before the SC on February 13 (Monday) for contempt proceedings.
The CJ on Friday again said he wanted a clear answer on whether the prime minister would write the letter, telling his lawyer: "We are ready to give you 10 minutes to talk to the prime minister on the phone and let us know."
"I have no mandate to do that," replied Gilani's lawyer, Aitzaz Ahsan.
Speaking to reporters outside the court, he confirmed that the prime minister would now appear in court on Monday.
"No one wants unrest. We are exercising restraint," the CJ observed.
"Tell the prime minister this is not in the interests of the country (to defy the court order)," he told Ahsan.
PM Gilani's counsel, Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan concluded his arguments today after an extended hearing in the SC before a larger bench. As soon as Aitzaz concluded his arguments, the SC started dictating the order.
An eight-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, heard the appeal. Other members of the larger bench included Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, Justice Tariq Parvez, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and Justice Amir Hani Muslim.
In the ICA moved under Section 19 (1) (iii) of the Contempt of Court Ordinance 2003 in criminal original No. 06/2012, the counsel pleaded the Court to recall order of its seven-member bench and suspend proceedings for framing of charges on February 13 for the larger interest of justice.
Rabi-ul-Awal (ربيع الأوّل) is the third month in the Islamic calendar
. During this month, Muslims around the world celebrate Mawlid - the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
. Sunni Muslims believe the exact date of birth of Muhammad
(PBUH) to have been on the twelfth of this month, whereas Shi'a Muslims
believe him to have been born on the dawn of the seventeenth day. The name Rabi-ul-Awal means the first [month] or beginning of spring, referring to its position in the pre-Islamic Arabian calendar.
Although historians and scholars disagree on the exact date of Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) date of birth, it is commonly celebrated on 12th or 17th of Rabi-ul-Awal. The celebration of the Mawlid is done differently depending on the country. In some areas celebrations begin as early as the first of the month and can continue till the end of the month. Muslims generally put coloured lights on roads streets and their homes and put green flags as well to celebrate. In many countries a procession is also conducted on 12th or 17th of Rabi-ul-Awal night and day. On these occasions sweets and drinks are also distributed widely from home to home and to the general public. In some areas Muslims also exchange gifts.
LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan has held the Punjab government responsible for deaths caused by spurious drugs, Geo News reported.
Talking to media here, Imran said the deaths occurred owing to incompetence of Punjab government.
Khan further said PPP and PML-N are scared of the PTI tsunami because they don't want any third power to make them accountable.
PESHAWAR: At least four people were killed as a result of an explosion in the Ring Road area of Peshawar.
The explosion took place at the office of a property dealer.
Speaking to the media provincial information minister Mian Iftikhar said that terrorism had a new face and attacks were taking place over tribal differences.
GENEVA: The World Trade Organization has approved a European Union waiver on duties for 75 products from Pakistan, a scheme intended to boost textile exports to help Pakistan recover from massive floods in 2010, a diplomat who was present at a meeting of the WTO's council for trade in goods said on Wednesday.
Other textile exporters, such as Brazil, India, Indonesia and Bangladesh, had opposed the plan but dropped their objections after the EU amended the scheme to use tariff rate quotas on 20 products rather than full liberalisation.
The waiver will apply from Jan 1, 2012, until Dec 31, 2013, but first needs to be rubber-stamped by the WTO's General Council. (Reuters)
