ISLAMABAD, (Reuters) – Pressure mounted yesterday for Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari to resign after a court struck down an amnesty protecting him and other politicians from possible prosecution for corruption.
The prospect of political turmoil comes as the United States increases calls on Pakistan to tackle Afghan Taliban in lawless border enclaves, where Pakistani security agents said suspected U.S. drones attacked on Thursday, killing 12 fighters.
The Supreme Court threw out on Wednesday the 2007 amnesty that protected Zardari and top aides from graft charges, heaping pressure on the unpopular pro-American leader, even though he is still shielded by presidential immunity.
The ruling means all old cases covered by the amnesty, most of them corruption cases, have been revived. It also asked the government to seek the revival of cases lodged in foreign countries.
The United States is struggling to stabilise Afghanistan and needs Pakistani action against militants in its northwest, and will be dismayed if political turmoil absorbs the government’s attention.
Immediately after the Wednesday evening court ruling, Zardari’s spokesmen said the president’s ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) respected the decision but there was no question of the president resigning.
However, a senior leader of the main opposition party said Zardari should do the right thing and step down.
“He should quit this office in his own interest as well as in the interest of his party and the system. He can get any member of his party elected to the post,” said Khawaja Mohammad Asif of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) party.
“He will achieve the high moral ground,” he said.
Stock investors have been unnerved by both political uncertainty and militant violence and the main index ended 0.29 percent down at 9,227.18 in thin turnover.
Some legal experts say the danger for the president is that the legitimacy of his 2008 election as president could be challenged now that old cases against him have been revived.
Among those protected by the amnesty were the interior and defence ministers and several of Zardari’s top aides.
If they departed from government it would not have a significant impact on Pakistan’s war on militancy, which is led by the army.
Pakistani security officials said suspected U.S. drone aircraft fired seven missiles at militants in the North Waziristan region, killing 12 fighters.
“Seven missiles were fired. They hit a cave complex, a compound and a vehicle,” said one of the Pakistani officials, who declined to be identified.
There was no information about the identity of those killed but North Waziristan is a sanctuary for an Afghan Taliban faction led by veteran militant commander Jalaluddin Haqqani, and for al Qaeda fighters.
The United States has launched 48 drone strikes this year, killing more than 400 people, most of them militants, according to a Reuters tally.
There were 32 such strikes last year which killed about 240 people.
