Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to quit if SC decision is unfavourable

ISLAMABAD: Facing immense pressure to reopen graft cases against the President, Pakistan's embattled Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani has decided to quit if an "unfavourable decision" is made by the Supreme Court in the contempt case against him, a media report said today.

Gilani made up his mind after consulting the leadership of the Pakistan People's Party and its allies in the ruling coalition, the Daily Times newspaper quoted its sources in the PPP as saying.

The PPP's leadership decided that Gilani would tender his resignation before the Supreme Court in person if he faced any "situation" in the contempt case.

The Premier will tell the court about the government's Constitutional stance on the issue of presidential immunity.

Gilani assured the PPP's top leadership that he was ready to quit as chief executive of the country but would not take any step that violated his loyalty to the party and its leaders.

The report quoted Gilani as telling PPP leaders that he was a "man of loyalty and prestige," and that he would personally appear in the apex court and offer his resignation for "pre-eminence of the Constitution of Pakistan and continuity of democracy."

The PPP sources said the party's top leadership has decided to accommodate Gilani's son Moosa Ali Gilani in the federal Cabinet in an upcoming reshuffle in view of the Premier's sacrifices and loyalty.

The PPP's leadership has taken its allies, especially Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi of the PML-Q, Altaf Hussain of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Asfandyar Wali Khan of the Awami National Party, into confidence on the Premier's decision, the report said.