December 05, 2008	Friday	Zilhaj 6, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Dec 4: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) here on Thursday observed that the appeals of the prime minister against his conviction by an accountability court would not be disposed of in haste.

The Chief Justice (CJ) IHC Sardar Muhammad Aslam also observed that the matter involves PM of the country and any decision taken in haste could affect the whole nation.

The two-member division bench of the IHC was hearing two appeals of Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani against his conviction in two NAB references. The other member of the bench was Justice Raja Saeed Akram.

The bench put off the hearing for the second week of January as one of the judges had not thoroughly studied the criminal appeals. The court observed that the members of the bench would not be influenced by the name of Prime Minister.

Responding to the submission of NAB prosecutor that the case should be disposed of early, the CJ observed that the counsel for the PM wanted relief on merit instead of under National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) so the court had to thoroughly study the appeals.

The PM has challenged his conviction by an accountability court in Rawalpindi in two corruption references. On September 18 2004, he was sentenced to ten years imprisonment with the fine of Rs5 million and he was to undergo five more years of imprisonment in case he failed to pay the fine.

NAB had prosecuted the PM in the cases of inducting several people on different government posts avoiding merit and misusing official vehicles and telephones in his capacity as speaker National Assembly. The references were filed in 2001 and Yousaf Raa Gillani was arrested on February 10 the same year.

A division bench of Lahore High Court (LHC) in Rawalpindi comprising Justice Abdul Shakoor Paracha and Justice Syed Sajjad Hussain Shah suspended the conviction of the PM and granted him bail against the surety bonds worth Rs5 million on October 15, 2006.