Daniel Zappelli

LAHORE: President Asif Ali Zardari’s Swiss cases cannot be reopened even if Islamabad makes an official request, as the president enjoys immunity under international law, a private TV channel quoted Geneva’s Attorney General Daniel Zappelli as saying on Saturday.

Zappelli said even if they received a proper request by Pakistan with all the required stances through an official channel, the Swiss government could not reopen the cases. “According to international rules, which Switzerland also applies, any chief of a state, prime minister or foreign affairs minister of any country enjoys absolute immunity,” he added.

Zappelli said usually a request for cases was received from a state, however he had just received a three-page fax from NAB to reopen the Swiss cases after the Supreme Court verdict. “I received a tele-fax with no official stamp and I suppose it’s a request,” he said, adding there was not even an annexe with the letter faxed by Islamabad.

“It’s an incomplete request by a telecopy,” Zappelli said.

Zappelli said Pakistan should have done its ‘homework’, as it is surprising to see a case is still open after 11 years. He said it would be a different situation if the SC lifted Zardari’s immunity.