Former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has refused to appear before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). On the directives of the Supreme Court, the bureau had summoned the former prime minister for appointing Adnan A. Khwaja as managing director of the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited in September 2010 in violation of rules. The Supreme Court had declared Khwaja's appointment as null and void.

In this respect, a counsel for the former premier said that the Constitution awarded immunity to Gilani, who had been summoned by the NAB to record his statement in the case on December 11. Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister's Adviser on Political Affairs Fawwad Chaudhry had stated that under Article 248 of the Constitution no court proceedings could be held against the president, the prime minister and governors.

Copyright Independent News Pakistan, 2012