ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has once again made his intentions clear that he would neither acquiesce to the opposition protests nor to the short order of the Supreme Court and would continue working as lawful chief executive of the country.

Questioning the legality of the SC short order in which he had been held responsible for committing contempt of court, Prime Minister Gilani said: “Article 248 (1) of the constitution provides him complete immunity in discharging of his official responsibilities, thus, on the basis of this court order he cannot be disqualified.”

The prime minister also intends to challenge the court order after the release of the detailed judgment. He was talking to journalists at the Prime Minister’s House.

Beaming with confidence after the passage of resolutions in his favour in both houses of parliament, Mr Gilani said he was here to stay and those calling for his disqualification were actually ridiculing the Constitution.

Asked if he wouldn’t feel embarrassed facing international dignitaries as a convicted prime minister, he snapped back to a foreign journalist “there isn’t any charge of moral turpitude or financial corruption against me. I have been convicted for defending the Constitution which I will keep on doing in future as well”.

He said: “If his conviction as Prime Minister affects the country’s image internationally, it also affects the image of the judiciary that has held him responsible for committing contempt of court for implementing the recommendations of his law and justice division.”

He was referring to his government’s position on the issue of writing a letter to Swiss authorities against President Asif Ali Zardari, who he repeatedly said enjoyed complete immunity against court proceedings.

When asked about Pak-US talks over resumption of Nato supply lines, Mr Gilani said the government was busy talking with US officials in the light of recommendations made by parliament and expressed the hope about a positive outcome in coming weeks.—Khawar Ghumman