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Pak supreme court suspends verdict against Benazir's husband

Pakistan's supreme court has suspended the Lahore high court judgment, disqualifying Asif Ali Zardari as a member of the senate.

The apex court gave Zardari interim relief on an appeal filed against the verdict which included a five-year prison term, disqualification of his senator status and confiscation of property on charges of corruption. His wife Benazir Bhutto, who is leader of the Opposition Pakistan People's Party, has also been charged with the same offence. The former prime minister is likely to file her appeal tomorrow.

The charge against the couple is that they received millions of dollars as kickbacks from a Swiss firm.

Judge Irshad Hasan Khan observed that ''without prejudice to the parties and without expressing opinion on merit, it is apparent on the face of the record that certain references have been made in the applications which have a direct bearing on the case of Benazir Bhutto'' whose appeal for suspension of sentence have yet to be filed.

The judge further observed that the period of limitation for filing the appeal by her had not yet expired. ''It would therefore be unfair to dispose of applications of Senator Asif Zardari without awaiting the appeal application to be filed by Benazir Bhutto within the period of limitation.'' He added that Zardari's case is inter-linked and inter-twined with his wife's case and any observations in the senator's case would tantamount to sealing Bhutto' fate in favour or against her.

The court adjourned the case till May 17 in chambers for further proceedings. ''Till then proceedings for disqualification of the appellant applicant as senator pending before the chief election commissioner of Pakistan are stayed,'' the court directed.

UNI

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