Pakistani PM found guilty of contempt

Richard Lindell and wires

Last Updated: Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:08:00 +1000

Pakistan's Prime Minister has managed to avoid jail time after being found guilty of contempt by the country's Supreme Court.

Yusuf Raza Gilani is accused of defying the court's order to re-open a corruption case against the Pakistani President.

Supporters of the Prime Minister showered him with rose petals as he arrived to hear the verdict.

A short time later, the Supreme Court convicted Yusuf Raza Gilani of contempt of court for refusing to re-open corruption investigations into the President.

"For reasons to be recorded later, the prime minister is found guilty of contempt for wilfully flouting the direction of the Supreme Court," said Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk.

Mr Gilani had argued that Asif Ali Zardari, who rejects the corruption charges, has immunity as head of state.

The court gave him a symbolic sentence of a few minutes' detention in the courtroom.

Mr Gilani's lawyer said the Prime Minister would appeal the conviction.

Under pressure

The stand-off with the Supreme Court will further weaken and destabilise the government and distract it from economic issues and a violent insurgency crippling many parts of the country.

The case stems from what many observers say is a political battle between the government and the military, with the army using the court to keep pressure on the government.

Thousands of corruption cases were thrown out in 2007 by an amnesty law passed under former military president Pervez Musharraf.

Two years later, the Supreme Court ruled that agreement illegal and ordered cases involving Swiss banks against President Asif Ali Zardari re-opened.

Mr Gilani and his government have refused to obey the court's order to write to Swiss authorities asking them to re-open money laundering cases against Zardari.

The government argues that Mr Zardari has immunity as the head of state.

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