Pakistan's PM summoned in corruption case

Pakistan's Prime Minister has been ordered to appear before the Supreme Court to explain why he has not followed its instructions to reopen an old corruption case against the President. The order is likely to further escalate tensions between the court and the government.

The court wants Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to write a letter to Swiss authorities asking them to reopen a corruption case against President Asif Ali Zardari dating back to the late 1990s. The government maintains that Mr Zardari has immunity from prosecution while in office and so far has resisted writing the letter.

The previous prime minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani, lost his job in June in a similar showdown with the court after refusing to write the letter.