LAHORE, May 15: PPP leader and prime minister’s counsel in the contempt of court case, Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, has reiterated his stance that the conviction of Yousuf Raza Gilani through a short order was illegal and unconstitutional.

Talking to newsmen in the Lahore High Court on Tuesday, he said that in criminal cases an accused could not be convicted unless he had been informed of his offence and defence arguments had been advanced. “We have also reservations about the detailed order issued by the Supreme Court,” he added.

He said the short order was in violation of Article 10-A which was inserted in the Constitution after it had been approved by parliament.

To a question about any moral ground for the prime minister to hold office after his conviction, Mr Ahsan said the question of morality should be directly put to Mr Gilani. “I can only give legal point of view on the matter,” he added.

About the post-conviction strategy, he said several options, including an appeal, were being deliberated.

He brushed aside an allegation that the government was disobeying court’s orders and said had the prime minister been sentenced to six months in jail he was ready to undergo it.

He maintained that a letter to the Swiss authorities could not be written as long as the president was in his office because he enjoyed constitutional immunity.

About the role of the National Assembly speaker, Mr Ahsan said it had been clearly written in the Constitution. Even then the speaker will have to give convincing arguments before sending a reference to the Election Commission for disqualification of the prime minister, he added.

He said the apex court or high courts had no jurisdiction to deal with the prime minister’s disqualification and the key to the Election Commission was in the drawer of the speaker.