Islamabad:
Leaders of Pakistan's ruling coalition will take part in an urgent session of parliament today in the wake of a warning from the country's Supreme Court that action could be taken against the President and Prime Minister for failing to reopen high-profile corruption cases.
The session comes amid rising tensions between Pakistan's military establishment and the civilian government over the publication of a controversial memo purportedly drafted by the government after last year's raid by American forces which killed Osama bin Laden. The memo appeared to seek US help in averting a possible coup by the military.
(Read: Defense Secretary's ouster adds to tension between Pakistan govt and army)The decision to call an urgent session of parliament was made at a meeting jointly chaired by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani at the presidency late on Tuesday night. Political analysts believe the government would try and use this session to display that it enjoyed majority support.
After the SC warning, the heads of the parties in the ruling coalition led by the Pakistan People's Party proposed that a session of the National Assembly or lower house of parliament should be "urgently called to discuss the latest political issues," presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said. The leaders agreed that the session of the National Assembly should be called on Thursday at 4 pm, Mr Babar said. The leaders discussed the "current political situation with particular reference to the most recent developments," he said.
"Before the session of the National Assembly, a joint meeting of the parliamentary parties will be held in the Parliament House to work out the strategy to be adopted during the National Assembly session," Mr Babar said.
The meeting was attended by PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Awami National Party leader Asfandyar Wali Khan, senior Muttahida Qaumi Movement leaders Farooq Sattar and Babar Khan Ghauri, and PPP leaders Khursheed Shah, Babar Awan and Raja Pervez Ashraf.
Earlier, President Zardari cut short a visit to Karachi and rushed back to the federal capital following the warning issued by the Supreme Court. Shortly after arriving in Islamabad, Zardari held a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Gilani.
The apex court warned that action could be taken against both the President and Prime Minister for failing to act on a court order to reopen corruption cases that were closed under a graft amnesty issued by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf in 2007. The National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), which provided this amnesty, was struck down by the apex court in December 2009. Since then, the court has been pressuring the government to reopen corruption cases against Zardari and over 8,000 other beneficiaries of the amnesty.
The government has refused to act on the court's directives to reopen cases of alleged money laundering against Mr Zardari in Switzerland, saying the President enjoys immunity from prosecution.
The Opposition has been quick to seize the opportunity to embarrass the government. Cricketer-turned-politician and Tehrik-i-Insaaf chief Imran Khan tweeted, "People of Pakistan have fought valiantly for a free judiciary and we stand by the Chief Justice and the Supreme Court's verdict on National Reconciliation Ordinance".
(Zardari must resign, won't back military takeover: Imran Khan)