PM meets Law Minister Naek

Published August 25, 2012

Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf. — Photo by AFP

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf held a meeting with Law Minister Farooq H. Naek at the Prime Minister House on Saturday, DawnNews reported.

During the meeting, it was reiterated that the government did not seek a confrontation with the judiciary and that the decision over the premier's appearance before the Supreme Court on Aug 27 would be taken in the light of "national interests".

The law minister also apprised the prime minister of the case's legal angles.

A final decision on strategy on the matter is expected to be taken during a meeting of coalition parties at the President's House tomorrow.

The Supreme Court had last month issued a contempt notice to Prime Minister Ashraf for not implementing its order of writing a letter to the Swiss authorities to reopen a money-laundering case against President Asif Ali Zardari. The prime minister has been asked to appear before a five-judge bench headed by Justice Asif Khosa on Aug 27 to respond to the notice.

Speaking before another bench, also headed by Justice Asif Khosa, Attorney General Irfan Qadir had dropped a hint that the prime minister might not appear before the court on Aug 27 to answer the contempt charges.

The same day the former prime minister had advised Prime Minister Ashraf not to appear before the Supreme Court.

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