Pakistan PM Raja Pervez Ashraf given court extension

Pakistan's Supreme Court has given Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf another week to reopen a corruption case against President Zardari.

It ordered his government to write to Swiss authorities and submit a draft at the next hearing on 25 September.

Mr Ashraf said he had instructed his law minister to lift the government's earlier block on Swiss investigations.

It is still unclear how the new letter will be worded and what its implications for the president will be.

The case dates back to the 1990s when Mr Zardari's wife, the late Benazir Bhutto, was in power. Both said the bribe-taking charges were politically motivated.

Until now, the government had steadfastly refused to write to Switzerland, saying Mr Zardari has presidential immunity.

The BBC's M Ilyas Khan, who was in court, says the government appears to have given ground in the long-running dispute.

But the court wants to see the letter before it is sent - and our correspondent says much will depend on whether government's wording satisfies it.

He says Mr Ashraf has adopted a more conciliatory approach towards the court than his predecessor, Yousuf Raza Gilani, who was disqualified from office for refusing to comply with the court's demands.

The court exempted Mr Ashraf from appearing before it in person until further notice.

Source: BBC (18/09/2012): http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19633078