President Zardari signs contempt bill into law

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari Thursday signed Contempt of Court Bill 2012 into law, Geo News quoted Presidential Spokesperson Farhatullah Babar as saying.

The final step of affixing the signature on the bill by the President was taken today after both the upper and lower houses of the Parliament had passed the Contempt of Court Bill 2012 with majority support.

New Contempt of court law:

The contempt of court bill was approved by the National Assembly on July 9.

The Senate on Wednesday night passed the new contempt of court law, as two PPP stalwarts, Aitzaz Ahsan and Mian Raza Rabbani, openly expressed reservations, saying the Supreme Court could partially strike it down.

The bill, exempts the 'holders of public office' from contempt in 'exercise of powers and performance' of functions and allows suspension of an appeal.

Many see it as a calculated person-specific move of the treasury benches to save PM Raja Pervaiz Ashfar for meeting the same fate as Yusuf Raza Gilani for not acting in accordance with the apex court order to write to the Swiss authorities with regard to President Asif Ali Zardari's accounts.