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Pakistan likely to see early elections to avert another standoff with judiciary

 ISLAMABAD, Aug 28 (KUNA) -- To avert another stand-off with the judiciary, the government is likely to pave way for early elections as the only solution to duck re-opening graft cases against the President.
On Monday, the prime minister appeared before the Supreme Court to defend his decision not to write to Swiss authorities to reopen corruption charges against President Asif Ali Zardari. However, he had to bow to the court and sought time to mull over the case instead.
The official's predecessor, Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, was disqualified from his post for failure to comply with a court ruling and subsequently found in contempt of court.
Political analysts here were of the opinion that Monday's episode indicates possibility of early elections as the only solution to avoid re-opening corruption case against the President, hence saving another prime minister from being disqualified.
If the Prime Minister does not oblige the court, he, too, will be disqualified. Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, heading a five-judge bench, on Monday told the premier in court that if he pledged to write a letter to Swiss authorities in accordance with the court order, he could stay on in his office "until elections." Federal Information Minister Qamar-u-Zaman Kaira said that there was no harm in discussing early elections.
Similarly, ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) key figure and former provincial home minister Manzoor Wassan stated that the letter to Swiss authorities would be written as "the third option", and that election day would be April 4 next year.
"Early elections seem to be the only solution currently available to the government", opined local political analyst Tuba Shahid. The country currently needs political stability, possible only through harmony between the two vital organs of the state; the judiciary and the executive authority, he said.
Meanwhile, Aitzaz Ahsan, a prominent lawyer and PPP leader, on Tuesday told reporters at the Supreme Court (SC) that the SS should accept that a letter to the Swiss authorities will only be written when Asif Ali Zardari is no longer President.
He said that Asif Ali Zardari is a constitutionally elected President and enjoys complete immunity under the constitution and international law. He said that no body can write a letter against his own President. It has never happened that a country has presented its President before a foreign magistrate, he added.
Aitzaz Ahsan said that since both sides are sticking to their positions, the court has no option "but to disqualify the Prime Minister if he does not write the letter to the Swiss authorities."(end) amn.wsa KUNA 281353 Aug 12NNNN