International

Will court ruling affect Benazir's poll prospects?

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD April 18. While the legal implications of a Rawalpindi court order declaring the former Prime Minister and Pakistan People's Party chief, Benazir Bhutto, "absconder" is not immediately known, it will certainly pose a problem for the former Prime Minister as and when she decides to end her self-exile and return to Pakistan.

A PPP spokesperson asserted that the court decision would not make any difference to Ms. Bhutto's determination to return to Pakistan and take part in the general elections proposed in October.

In his referendum campaign, the President, Pervez Musharraf, has repeatedly said that while Ms. Bhutto was free to return to Pakistan, she would have to face the cases pending against her. He has also declared that Ms. Bhutto and another former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, had no place in politics. His argument is that while both had an opportunity to rule twice, they had betrayed the people's expectations and compromised on national interests.

Ms. Bhutto had gone to Dubai on self-imposed exile following a judgment of the `Ehtasab' (Accountability) Court during Mr. Sharif's tenure. The court had awarded eight years imprisonment and imposed a huge cash penalty on Ms. Bhutto, besides disqualifying her from holding any government office for seven years.

During Wednesday's hearings, the lawyers told the presiding judge that the summons for Ms. Bhutto, dispatched overseas by the Foreign Ministry, were returned due to non-abidance. They drew attention to the reply sent by the Pakistani Ambassador in Geneva, in which he had said that the summons could not be complied with due to complications in Swiss law.

In view of this, the lawyers suggested that the summons be sent directly to Ms. Bhutto. The judge then declared her proclaimed offender and issued directives for a court notice against her to be issued in the press. The case was adjourned till May 17 for further hearing.

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