Swiss "no" to Zardari cases

Islamabad: Switzerland has said graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari cannot be reopened in its courts as he enjoys “absolute immunity” under international law, even as it rejected as “incomplete application” a fax sent to it by Pakistan's anti-corruption agency on the issue.

This is a “big problem” because the head of state, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister enjoy “absolute immunity” under international law, Swiss Attorney-General Daniel Zappelli told a Pakistani news channel.

He made the remarks on Saturday night when asked if a closed case can be reopened if the government of a country makes a request as in the case of Mr. Zardari.

“If an application to reopen the cases in Swiss courts is submitted through Pakistan's embassy, it will be returned” since the head of a state enjoys absolute immunity, he said , to a query on reopening of the cases on the basis of a request by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Pakistan's anti-corruption agency.

The Supreme Court has been pushing the government led by Mr. Zardari's Pakistan People's Party to reopen cases in Swiss courts in which the President was accused of stashing away millions of dollars received as kickbacks in Swiss banks.

The apex court issued the order to reopen the cases after striking down the National reconciliation Ordinance, a graft amnesty issued by the former military ruler, Pervez Musharraf, that benefited Mr. Zardari and thousands of others.

Mr. Zardari's aides have maintained that he enjoys immunity from prosecution by virtue of being President. The Swiss official said he had received a three-page fax from Pakistan and he believed this was an “incomplete application” for reopening the cases.

“”... practically, documents like these are exchanged between governments through embassies and carry an official seal,” he said. — PTI