Gilani meets Zardari ahead of Pak Assembly session over NRO issue

Islamabad, Jan 16 (ANI): Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani met President Asif Ali Zardari ahead of a crucial National Assembly session that could determine the future of the government.

Gilani is expected to present his point of view on the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) issue in the Pakistan Assembly.

Earlier, Pakistan's Supreme Court issued a contempt notice to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday and asked him to appear before it on January 19th over the same issue.

Gilani is the second Prime Minister of Pakistan to be issued a contempt notice by the country's apex court.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed President Asif Ali Zardari, Gilani and Chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Fasih Bokhari to submit their replies in the NRO implementation case.

The apex court further requested the authorities to present details on progress in the implementation of its verdict on the same issue.

The Pakistan Supreme Court has warned President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani of disqualification for upto 10 years for defying the implementation of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) verdict.

After Gilani failed to appear before the court this month, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, heading a five-judge bench, called him a "sagacious" person as he defied the court orders in the NRO case.

The court had also threatened to disqualify both Zardari and Gilani and the law minister.

The bench noted that the president's interview and the prime minister's speeches reflected that their loyalty towards their party was above their oath to protect the Constitution.

A similar violation of the oath had been committed by the president and the law minister, the bench said. (ANI)