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Pakistan PM Yousuf Raza Gilani charged with contempt | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Pakistani PM Yousuf Raza Gilani has been charged with contempt in an appearance before the country's Supreme Court. | |
Mr Gilani is accused of failing to re-open corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari. | Mr Gilani is accused of failing to re-open corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari. |
The prime minister, who faces jail and being barred from office if convicted, pleaded not guilty. | |
Mr Gilani argues that the president, who denies the corruption charges, has immunity as head of state. | |
President Zardari is accused of using Swiss bank accounts to launder bribes. | President Zardari is accused of using Swiss bank accounts to launder bribes. |
The Supreme Court has said Mr Gilani defied a court order to write to the Swiss authorities and ask them to re-open the cases against Mr Zardari. | |
Mr Gilani is expected to argue that he received legal advice that it would have been unconstitutional to pursue the cases. | |
Mr Zardari says the charges against him are politically motivated. | Mr Zardari says the charges against him are politically motivated. |
Helicopters hovered overhead and hundreds of riot police were guarding the Supreme Court as Mr Gilani arrived, the AFP news agency reports. | |
Lengthy process | |
The case has now been adjourned until 28 February. Mr Gilani will not have to appear on that date. | |
This could now become a lengthy process as even if Mr Gilani is convicted, he will have the right to appeal, reports the BBC's Aleem Maqbool in Islamabad. | |
The case is part of a stand-off between the government and the judiciary, which many believe is being backed by the military as it pursues the case against the civilian administration. | |
Many are concerned that the case will distract Mr Gilani's focus from Pakistan's many complex problems to his own survival, our correspondent adds. | |
In 2009 the Supreme Court overturned an amnesty dating from the period of former President Pervez Musharraf which protected President Zardari and hundreds of other politicians from being prosecuted for corruption. | |
In an interview with Al-Jazeera television last week, Mr Gilani acknowledged he would have to stand down if convicted. | |
"If I'm convicted, then I'm not even supposed to be a member of the parliament," he said. | "If I'm convicted, then I'm not even supposed to be a member of the parliament," he said. |