Corruption chief rejects court order for PM's arrest
Thursday 17 January 2013
Printable
EmailPakistan's anti-corruption department chief Fasih Bokhari said today that he had rejected a Supreme Court order to arrest the prime minister.
On Tuesday, the court ordered the arrest of Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf in connection with alleged kickbacks in transactions involving rental power plants when he served as power minister.
But Mr Bokhari told the Supreme Court that investigations of the allegations against Mr Ashraf were incomplete.
The court instructed Mr Bokhari to produce case records so that it could decide whether there is enough evidence to prosecute the prime minister and other officials accused in the case.
But the government's respite may be short-lived. The Supreme Court has admitted a petition filed against ambassador to the US and well-known member of the ruling Pakistan People's Party Sherry Rehman, accusing her of blasphemy.
Ms Rehman has faced death threats from militants for calling for reforms of Pakistan's anti-blasphemy law.
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