The Swiss government has officially conveyed to the Pakistani Law Ministry that the money laundering cases against President Asif Ali Zardari and others could not be reopened.
In response to a letter written to Swiss authorities by former law minister Farooq H Naik, the Swiss authorities told the Law Ministry here that cases against President Asif Ali Zardari and others could not be reopened as the cases were time barred and the time had lapsed.
Following the Supreme Court’s ruling in the NRO implementation case, then law minister had written a letter to the Swiss authorities to inquire about the legal status of the money laundering cases against the president.
The said cases were closed in 2008 on the request of then Pakistani attorney general Malik Qayoom.
But, later, on the directions of the Supreme Court, the PPP government after a serious confrontation with the court, had written to the Swiss authorities.
Sources in the Law Ministry said a sealed envelop carrying the official version of the Swiss authorities was received the other day, which was opened on Tuesday by Law Minister Zahid Hamid.
Naik, during his tenure as law minister, had claimed that the Swiss authorities had dropped the cases against president according to their own laws, and not in accordance with the immunity given to the president under Pakistani laws.
