Gilani may face snub if Presidential immunity issue comes to Pak NA

ISLAMABAD - A majority in the Pakistan National Assembly reportedly might not support Prime Minister, Yousaf Raza Gillani’s stance on Presidential immunity because the opposition parties fully endorse the viewpoint that the Supreme Court should have the final say on this question.

According to The News, the PPP’s major coalition partner, MQM, will announce its position in a day or two amid indications that it would too respect the judiciary’s decision.

The PML-N and the PML-Q, which are the second and the third largest political parties in the National Assembly, reportedly have already made their positions clear and announced in an unambiguous manner that they would support the Supreme Court’s ruling on President Zardari’s immunity.

Earlier, the PML-N leader, Nawaz Sharif, had announced that his party would completely support the Supreme Court on this matter and would follow the decision whether the president enjoys the immunity or not.

The PML-Q, which is the third largest political party in the National Assembly with 53 members, is also supportive of the Supreme Court’s right to interpret the Constitution, the paper said.

In a house of 341 members, the PPP is presently the largest party with 126 members. To make a majority in the house, the PPP had to join hands with the MQM, ANP and the JUI-F as the minimum number required for a simple majority to form the government was 172 members.

Zahid Khan, spokesman of Awami National Party (ANP) said that in the present situation, the President enjoys immunity under Article 248. He added that if the Supreme Court denied the immunity available to the president, his party would decide its course of action after such a judgment. (ANI)