Pakistan court asks Asif Ali Zardari to suspend holding dual posts and resign as PPP chief

LAHORE: In a setback to Asif Ali Zardari, a Pakistani court on Thursday ruled that the president, who is also the chief of the ruling PPP, should suspend political activities and must be impartial.

A four-judge bench of the Lahore high court headed by chief justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry issued the order in response to petitions that had challenged the holding of the dual posts of president and PPP chief by Zardari.

The court, which had reserved its judgement in the case in March, said the presidency should not be used for political activities.

The president is not supposed to engage in political activities and is bound to be impartial, the bench said in its 35-page ruling.

The bench noted that the supreme court had already ruled that the president should discharge his duties and functions with complete neutrality, impartiality and aloofness from any partisan political interest.

The high court hoped that the president would abide by the law and disassociate himself from the political office.
Lawyer A K Dogar, who is also the counsel for Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, was among those who filed petitions that challenged the holding of the two posts by Zardari.

Dogar had contended that the Pakistani constitution required the President, being head of the state, should be neutral and non-partisan.

Several benches of the high court had heard these petitions since 2009.

The government's legal panel had initially contested the petitions but later boycotted proceedings after expressing their dissatisfaction with the court. Following this, the high court started ex-parte proceedings.

Zardari regularly chairs meetings of the PPP's top leadership at the presidency.

His son Bilawal is the chairman of the PPP but he has not yet started political activities as he is studying
in Britain.

A spokeswoman for Zardari says she had not seen the ruling and declined comment. It's unclear what impact the ruling will have, but it will likely to put Zardari on the defensive. PPP is seen as very unpopular and has struggled to keep its ruling coalition intact.