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ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has come to the aid of Babar Awan in an unprecedented manner by describing the recent indictment of the law minister in a robbery and attempted kidnapping case as 'baseless and politically motivated'. “The PPP Co-chairman, Asif Ali Zardari, has expressed grave concern over the indictment of Babar Awan in a case of robbery and attempted kidnapping registered against him more than 12 years ago,” president's spokesman Farhatullah Babar said on Sunday.
On Saturday, a court in Rawalpindi indicted Mr Awan after he appeared before it and pleaded not guilty.The spokesman said: “The co-chairman termed the pursuit of over 12 years old politically motivated case against the law minister by the Punjab prosecution as an unfortunate and glaring abuse of judicial processes for settling scores with a political opponent even as lip service was paid to democratic values, pluralism and judicial independence.”
In Karachi, a spokesman for Bilawal House expressed serious concern over the framing of kidnapping and robbery charges against Mr Awan.
Analysts believe that the statement of President Zardari may generate a new confrontation between the judiciary and government because he has indirectly questioned a decision of the court.
It has been learnt that the law minister was defending Mr Zardari in courts as his lawyer when the case was instituted against Mr Awan in 1998.
Interestingly, the president has sought support of civil society and bar associations against the decision, instead of pursuing the case in the court.
“The PPP co-chairman expressed the hope that civil society, the bar bodies and enlightened public opinion will take serious notice of it and condemn the pursuit of twelve years old case for political ends through brazen abuse of the judicial processes,” the spokesman said.
The president said the PPP stood by all its workers who had rendered sacrifices for democracy and human rights. “The party will protect its workers from political harassment and intimidation,” he said.
