Pakistani High Court Delays Deadline in Graft Case

Posted July 25th, 2012 at 7:05 am (UTC-5)
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Pakistan's highest court has given the government two more weeks to comply with an order to pursue corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

Judge Asif Saeed Khosa had ordered Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf to submit a report on his findings by Wednesday, but adjourned the hearing until August 8.

Pakistan's attorney general had argued the order to reopen the case against the president was “not implementable.”

The Supreme Court wants the prime minister to ask Switzerland to investigate corruption claims against Mr. Zardari. Last month, it ruled that Ashraf's predecessor, Yousuf Raza Gilani, was ineligible for office, after it found him guilty of contempt for refusing the order.

The government has long declined to pursue the corruption claims, saying Mr. Zardari is immune from prosecution while in office. The president has denied any wrongdoing.