Govt. decides against pushing amnesty bill

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- The government of Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has decided against pushing a bill to protect lawmakers from corruption cases, officials said.

Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reported some senior leaders of Zardari's ruling Pakistan People's Party had advised him to retreat from the bill and face some of the corruption charges against him. But, the report said, Zardari ignored them, confident the parliament would approve the National Reconciliation Ordinance.

However, the bill was opposed by Zardari government's coalition allies and others, the BBC reported. Zardari, who has presidential immunity, has said corruption charges against him were politically motivated.

Before he became president last year, Zardari had spent years in jail after being convicted on corruption charges. Zardari's wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, was assassinated by militants in 2007.

Party spokesman Farhatullah Babar said it was agreed that instead of introducing the bill in parliament, there would now be a thorough debate on the issue with all major political parties, the BBC reported.

The amnesty may be decided by the courts.