Pakistan’s ruling party denied Saturday that any Cabinet ministers would be forced to resign as a result of a Supreme Court decision that overturned a corruption amnesty protecting numerous politicians including the president.
The comments from Pakistan People’s Party spokeswoman Farahnaz Ispahani come ahead of a critical meeting of the party’s central leadership to review the sweeping ruling. President Asif Ali Zardari enjoys immunity from prosecution, but the voiding of the amnesty means many other political leaders face renewed corruption allegations, some dating to the 1990s.
It also deepens political turmoil in Pakistan just as Washington has increased pressure on Islamabad to do more to aid the war effort in neighboring Afghanistan.
Asked if top Cabinet members affected by the ruling, such as Interior Minister Rehman Malik, would be asked to quit, Ispahani said it would be inappropriate because the cases against them had not been proven.
“You’re not guilty until you’re proven so,” Ispahani said.
The government seemed bewildered by Wednesday’s ruling, even though it had been expected.
Anti-corruption courts across the country issued summons on Friday to more than 100 suspects, including Malik and presidential secretary Salman Farooqi, said court officials.
The summons came a day after the Interior Ministry issued a list of nearly 250 officials, including Malik and Defense Minister Ahmed Mukhtar, who were barred from leaving the country following the Supreme Court’s decision.
