Yousef Raza Gilani

Pakistan government to fall?

The rumour mill is in overdrive. Yousef Raza Gilani, the Pakistan prime minister, risks defying a court order, and the supreme court is flexing its muscles. It's high noon in Pakistan and the showdown, due in the supreme court on October 13, is putting immense pressure on the government.
 
Once again, the government is in crisis. This time it's over a case the government claims has technically been closed. It involves alleged money laundering through Switzerland by Asif Ali Zardari, the country's president, before he became president.
 
Supporters of the government say he has presidential immunity and therefore he is free from prosecution. Not so, says the supreme court, as the allegation's date from before his time as leader.
 
The supreme court wants the Pakistani PM to write a letter to the Swiss authorities demanding that they reopen the case. So far the PM has not written the letter.