Gilani may face 2nd contempt case, says Pak SC

Adding to woes of Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani, Pakistan's Supreme Court today warned him that a second contempt case could be initiated against him if he failed to act on its verdict that annulled a graft amnesty issued by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf.

During a hearing by a seven-judge bench on the implementation of the apex court's verdict striking down the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan said that another case of contempt could be taken up against Gilani if he does not act on the court's orders.

The same bench is hearing a contempt case initiated against Gilani earlier this year after he failed to act on the court's orders to approach Swiss authorities to revive cases of alleged money laundering against President Asif Ali Zardari.

The NRO, which was issued by Musharraf in late 2007 as part of a secret understanding between him and slain former premier Benazir Bhutto, benefited Zardari and over 8,000 others.

Since the Supreme Court struck down the graft amnesty in December 2009, it has been pressuring the government to reopen corruption cases against Zardari.

During today's proceedings, the bench said it would announce its verdict in the NRO case on April 16.