President enjoys immunity: Aitzaz Ahsan

Islamabad, Prominent lawyer and PPP leader Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan reiterated on Wednesday that President Asif Ali Zardari enjoys immunity in the country and abroad under the Vienna Convention.

I m stick to my pervious assertion that Mr. Zardari will have immunity in all criminal cases in Pakistan and Switzerland as well, till he is president of this country, he said while talking to media here this morning.

Aitzaz said the immunity is guaranteed in the Constitution and Vienna Convention. The Supreme Court, criminal and accountability courts have accepted immunity for the president under Vienna Convention 1961 and 1963.

About immunity for Pervez Musharraf, the he said the former president didn t have it. Musharraf s cases are different. There are civil cases against him in which he doesn t enjoy any immunity, while I was mentioning the exemption about President Zardari which he has due to nature of his cases.

He claimed that not writing letters to Swiss authorities by the government seeking reopening of corruption cases against Zardari doesn t come under the contempt of court.

It can t be termed as contempt of court in NRO implementation case. But despite that I suggested the government to write to Swiss authorities, he said adding: I uphold the dignity of Supreme Court and judiciary.

Writing a letter will not harm but what if Swiss authorities didn t take action after the letter.

To a question that should President Zardari approach the court to prove his immunity, he said It s not mandatory. I will explain it in the court.

When asked if the PM will offer apology to the apex court in Thursday s hearing, Aitzaz said why to seek pardon? Let us mull it over.

He criticized the media for previously misinterpreting his statements regarding the immunity issue. There is no contradiction in my statements. My point of view was clear yesterday and it s the same today. But media channels misquoted and misinterpreted me.