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| Pakistan PM Gilani faces contempt case at Supreme Court | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Pakistani PM Yousuf Raza Gilani has arrived at the country's Supreme Court amid tight security to face contempt proceedings. | |
| The court initiated the case over Mr Gilani's refusal to ask Swiss officials to reopen a corruption case against President Asif Ali Zardari. | |
| Mr Gilani's lawyer has hinted that a written request might yet be sent to Switzerland to resolve the situation. | |
| If found guilty of contempt he could be banned from holding public office. | If found guilty of contempt he could be banned from holding public office. |
| Mr Gilani smiled and waved as he arrived at the Supreme Court, accompanied by senior cabinet ministers. | |
| His embattled government is currently embroiled in disputes with the judiciary and also with Pakistan's powerful armed forces. | |
| Mr Gilani has long refused to write the letter to Swiss authorities, arguing that President Zardari has immunity from prosecution while in office. | Mr Gilani has long refused to write the letter to Swiss authorities, arguing that President Zardari has immunity from prosecution while in office. |
| However, his lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan indicated on Wednesday that the prime minister might reverse that stance. | However, his lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan indicated on Wednesday that the prime minister might reverse that stance. |
| "There is no harm in writing a letter to the Swiss authorities," he said. | "There is no harm in writing a letter to the Swiss authorities," he said. |
| "The president has complete immunity against criminal procedures in the courts." | "The president has complete immunity against criminal procedures in the courts." |
| He added: "I don't think the prime minister has committed contempt of court by not writing the letter. Through my arguments I will try to convince the court that the prime minister is not guilty of contempt." | He added: "I don't think the prime minister has committed contempt of court by not writing the letter. Through my arguments I will try to convince the court that the prime minister is not guilty of contempt." |
| Money laundering | Money laundering |
| Mr Zardari and his late wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, were found guilty in absentia by a Swiss court in 2003 of laundering millions of dollars in kickbacks from Swiss firms while they were in government. | Mr Zardari and his late wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, were found guilty in absentia by a Swiss court in 2003 of laundering millions of dollars in kickbacks from Swiss firms while they were in government. |
| They appealed and Swiss officials dropped the case in 2008 at the request of the Pakistani government. | They appealed and Swiss officials dropped the case in 2008 at the request of the Pakistani government. |
| The case was one of thousands dropped as a result of an amnesty that allowed Ms Bhutto to return from self-imposed exile and run for election in 2008. She was assassinated shortly after returning in late 2007. | The case was one of thousands dropped as a result of an amnesty that allowed Ms Bhutto to return from self-imposed exile and run for election in 2008. She was assassinated shortly after returning in late 2007. |
| However, in 2009 Pakistan's Supreme Court declared the amnesty unconstitutional, leaving those covered by it open to prosecution. | However, in 2009 Pakistan's Supreme Court declared the amnesty unconstitutional, leaving those covered by it open to prosecution. |
| The government is also engaged in a dispute with the military over an anonymous memo asking for US help to avert a possible army coup in Pakistan. The memo was sent in the wake of the killing of Osama Bin Laden in May 2011. | The government is also engaged in a dispute with the military over an anonymous memo asking for US help to avert a possible army coup in Pakistan. The memo was sent in the wake of the killing of Osama Bin Laden in May 2011. |
| US officials have acknowledged receiving the memo but say they took no action over it. | US officials have acknowledged receiving the memo but say they took no action over it. |
| Both disputes have overshadowed Pakistan's deteriorating relationship with Washington following US air strikes that accidentally killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in November. | Both disputes have overshadowed Pakistan's deteriorating relationship with Washington following US air strikes that accidentally killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in November. |