Pakistan's ruling party passes resolution for full confidence in Zardari
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The Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Saturday passed a resolution for putting full confidence in the leadership of PPP Co-Chairman and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.
The meeting of the PPP CEC meeting, held here at the presidency, decided to defend the cases which could be revived after the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan's verdict of scraping the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).
Zardari presided over Saturday's meeting attended by Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani and senior PPP leaders.
In the meeting the situation arising out of the SC verdict on NRO was reviewed.
Meanwhile, a petition was filed in the SC against the decision of reopening of cases in Swiss courts.
The petitioner has adopted the stance that Article 248 of the constitution provides indemnity to the president under which no old cases could be reopened or new one be filed against him.
The NRO, issued by then President Pervez Musharraf on Oct. 5,2007, was part of his political deal to allow Zardari's wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, to return from years of exile to Pakistan. A total of 8,041 people including 34 politicians took benefit from the ordinance.
The SC Wednesday unanimously set aside the controversial NRO, declaring it null and void. All cases involving NRO beneficiaries would be automatically reopened.
After the SC verdict, presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babartold reporters that the president of Pakistan enjoys immunity under the constitution and no criminal proceedings whatsoever shall be initiated against the president in any court.
He insisted that Zardari's resignation is out of question.
In reaction to the SC decision, Zardari claimed that he is ready to face all kinds of challenges as he wants to save Pakistan from turning into another Afghanistan.
Talking to a group of Pakistani journalists in the president house Thursday, Zardari said he is ready to face all the challenges in the same way as Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto faced them.
