Gilani no longer eligible to hold office: Nawaz Sharif

By Web Desk

Published: April 27, 2012

Earlier during the day, PM Gilani challenged PML-N to move no-confidence motion against him.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif reiterating his demand for Yousaf Raza Gilani to step down as the Prime Minister of Pakistan after having been convicted by the Supreme Court, said Gilani is no longer eligible to hold office. “Gilani should have mercy on the country’s system and step down from his illegal post.”

Nawaz threatened that Gilani will face “unexpected consequences” if he does not step down. He was addressing an emergency press conference called after a party meeting held in Lahore.

“The speeches of Gilani or any of his ministers do not hold any importance anymore… After Supreme Court’s April 26 order, the country has been running without any government,” he added.

The party chief added that he has nothing personal against Gilani and that his party is only trying is bring the country’s looted money back. “The Supreme Court wants to bring back the money which had been looted from Pakistan, and that is why, it passed the order. And anyone who refuses to comply with that order should be punished.”

Setting a clear policy for his party, and thereby warning the ruling government, said that his party will lodge its protest in all forms and at all levels and that even the possibility for a long march could not be ruled out. “The time for change has come,” in an ominous sign.

Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, PML-N’s provincial presidents and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif were also present at the press conference.

Khan said, “Gilani is not the prime minister now, nor is he an elected MNA.”

After Prime Minister Gilani was convicted in the contempt of court case on Thursday, the PML-N as well as other parties called on him to resign from his post. They consider him to have been disqualified from the house, hence ineligible to hold the Prime Minister’s seat.

The Supreme Court found Gilani, who had been elected unanimously to the post of Prime Minister four years ago, guilty of contempt of court for refusing to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari and gave him a symbolic sentence of 37 seconds detention in the courtroom.

Gilani, during the National Assembly session on Friday, challenged Nawaz to bring a no-confidence motion if “he thinks he can dissolve the government”.

The prime minister has so far refused to step down from his post. Instead, he has put his faith in the authority of Speaker of National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza to decide his fate.