KARACHI – In a dramatic turn of events, Pakistan Supreme Court on Tuesday disqualified Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and ruled that he “ceased” to be in office since April 26 when it convicted and sentenced him for contempt. A shocked ruling-PPP immediately accepted the verdict and decided to replace the 60-year-old Gilani, who has been the Prime Minister since March 2008.
President Asif Ali Zardari has cancelled his two-day visit from Wednesday to Russia to attend a meeting of International Economic Forum following the political upheaval that has hit the country.
“Yousuf Raza Gilani has become disqualified from being Member of Parliament,” a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry said in its short order nearly two months after he was convicted for contempt for refusing to ask Switzerland to reopen multi-million dollar graft charges against President Asif Ali Zardari.
“Since no appeal was filed against this (April 26) judgment, the conviction has attained finality. Therefore, Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani has become disqualified from being a Member of the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament)… and from the date and time of pronouncement of the judgment of this Court dated 26.04.2012 with all consequences,” the Court said.
