Lahore, A Pakistani court today set September 5 as the deadline for President Asif Ali Zardari to disassociate himself from political activities and warned that he would have to face the consequences if he failed to do so. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial of the Lahore High Court asked the President to relinquish his post of chief of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party.
A short order issued by the bench in the evening said that if the President failed to act on the High Court's order of last year not to engage in political activities in the presidency by September 5, then the court might initiate contempt of court proceedings against him.
Chief Justice Bandial said the issue had constitutional importance and the court's verdict was in accordance with the Constitution. He said the court has provided the President ample time to resign from his post of co-chairman of the PPP and to suspend all political activities in the presidency.
Earlier in the day, the bench had said it would give another opportunity to the President to act on its order to dissociate himself from political activities. The bench made the observation in response to two petitions filed against Zardari for not quitting the political office of co-chairman of the PPP. The bench noted that the High Court had issued an order on May 12, 2011 that said it expected the President to disassociate himself from political activities as soon as possible.
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