A Pakistani court on Thursday summoned the government's top legal official to ascertain its stance on a petition filed against President Asif Ali Zardari for holding two offices the presidency and co-chairmanship of the ruling Pakistan People's Party. A two-member bench of the Lahore High Court summoned Attorney General Latif Khosa while hearing the petition filed by A K Dogar,who is also the counsel for banned JuD chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed. In his petitions,Dogar has said Zardari's decision to continue as co-chairperson of the PPP after being elected President was a blatant violation of the constitution. The constitution states that the President,who is the head of state and represents the unity of the republic,shall be non-partisan. Dogar,a senior member of the Pakistan Lawyers Forum,has also served a legal notice on Zardari,asking him to surrender either the office of PPP co-chairman or President. He also referred to a judgment of the Supreme Court which said the President will be accorded the highest respect and esteem "if he conducts himself with utmost impartiality and neutrality". The apex court's judgement also states that the President should keep "himself entirely aloof from party politics" and not give the impression that "he is siding with one faction or working against the other". Dogar said: "The Supreme Court has laid down that the President is a non-partisan person. So in order to protect and preserve the dignity of the office,Zardari is required to maintain a neutral image."
