Pakistan's Supreme Court Wednesday revoked a controversial law which had granted amnesty to President Asif Ali Zardari, several sitting ministers and thousands of politicians and
bureaucrats.
The NRO, termed as most notorious act of Constitution, was challenged in the Supreme Court and a 17-member bench of the apex court in a late night verdict declared it as null and void and described it as contrary to the constitution.
The court ruled that all cases, withdrawn under the NRO, have now been revived and those who had got amnesty will face courts.
Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf promulgated the NRO in 2007 as part of a political deal to allow current President Asif Ali Zardari's wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, to return from years of exile to Pakistan.
The NRO provided immunity to leaders and officials from cases registered during 1985-1999. The Pakistani government released the list of
the beneficiaries of the NRO on Nov. 21. A total of 8,041 people were benefited from the ordinance including many bureaucrats, diplomats and
government officials, who were accused of corruption, embezzlement, money-laundering, murder and terrorism.
Zardari, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Defense Minister Ahmed Mukhtar, were also on the list of beneficiaries.
According to a verdict of the Supreme Court, the NRO expired on Nov. 28. Pakistani State Minister for Law Afzal Sindhu said earlier that it would be up to the apex court to hear and decide the cases.
Law experts believe the verdict would not only decide the fate of the beneficiaries, but would also determine the scope and parameters of the constitutional immunity available to the head of state. They say the result of the case would have far-reaching effects both constitutionally and politically.