Court ruling may decide Gilani's future

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, ordered to appear before the country's Supreme Court Monday, could be indicted on contempt charges.

Last week, the high court dismissed his appeal in the contempt case arising from the failure of his government to write to Swiss authorities to reopen graft case against President Asif Ali Zardari.

Gilani could be disqualified from office and sent to jail if indicted and convicted, creating more political turmoil in a country already torn apart by terrorist violence and facing a host of other problems.

In a weekend interview with al-Jazeera television, Gilani said he could automatically lose office if convicted of contempt, Pakistan's News International reported.

"There's no need to step down. If I'm convicted, then I'm not supposed to be a member of Parliament," Gilani was quoted as saying.

Gilani also said the corruption charges against Zardari were "politically motivated" and that Zardari had immunity as head of state.

Dawn newspaper, quoting sources, said Gilani earlier met with leaders of his ruling Pakistan People's Party and other coalition leaders who promised to extend their support.

The court has been insisting for two years the Gilani government write a letter to Swiss authorities to reopen graft cases against Zardari, who has denied the accusations. The cases previously had been thrown out by an amnesty law.

Gilani has maintained the letter cannot be written because the Constitution provides immunity to the president.

Zardari is the husband of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated in Rawalpindi in 2007 during an election rally.

The graft cases against Zardari and Bhutto relate to allegations of money laundering. A Swiss court convicted the couple in absentia but the cases were later dropped under the amnesty provision instituted during the regime of former President Pervez Musharraf. The amnesty law was ruled unconstitutional in 2009, leading the high court to order the government to reopen the cases.

Besides the high court, Gilani's government also must contend with growing tensions with the country's powerful military stemming from the so-called memo scandal. In the scandal, it was alleged a note sent last October had sought help of U.S. military authorities to rein in the military and prevent a coup in Pakistan.

The Zardari government and Pakistan's former ambassador to the United States have denied any involvement in it.