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Poll: Most want Pakistan PM Gilani to resign
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Published: May 8, 2012 at 10:41 AM
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, May 8 (UPI) -- A poll indicates 65 percent of Pakistanis want Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani to resign.
Gilani was convicted last month by the Pakistani Supreme Court of a contempt of court charge for defying its orders to reopen a corruption case against President Asif Ali Zardari. Gilani was sentenced to 30 seconds of jail time.
Geo News said nearly 50 percent of people polled said they were in favor of the Supreme Court decision. Of the 38 percent who said they were opposed, many said it was because the punishment was inadequate.
The corruption case against Zardari involves kickbacks he and his late wife, Benazir Bhutto, allegedly received from companies when she was prime minister in the 1990s. A Swiss court found the couple guilty in absentia in 2003. Swiss prosecutors dropped the case in 2008, however, after the Pakistani government approved a law granting immunity to Zardari and others.
The prime minister Tuesday headed to Britain for an official visit, Geo News said.
Poll details were not released.
Topics: Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Asif Ali Zardari, Benazir Bhutto
License photo
Published: May 8, 2012 at 10:41 AM
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, May 8 (UPI) -- A poll indicates 65 percent of Pakistanis want Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani to resign.
Gilani was convicted last month by the Pakistani Supreme Court of a contempt of court charge for defying its orders to reopen a corruption case against President Asif Ali Zardari. Gilani was sentenced to 30 seconds of jail time.
Geo News said nearly 50 percent of people polled said they were in favor of the Supreme Court decision. Of the 38 percent who said they were opposed, many said it was because the punishment was inadequate.
The corruption case against Zardari involves kickbacks he and his late wife, Benazir Bhutto, allegedly received from companies when she was prime minister in the 1990s. A Swiss court found the couple guilty in absentia in 2003. Swiss prosecutors dropped the case in 2008, however, after the Pakistani government approved a law granting immunity to Zardari and others.
The prime minister Tuesday headed to Britain for an official visit, Geo News said.
Poll details were not released.
Topics: Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Asif Ali Zardari, Benazir Bhutto