LEAD: Pakistani court cites prime minister for contempt of court

Jan 16, 2012, 12:21 GMT

Islamabad - Pakistan's Supreme Court on Monday issued a contempt of court notice to the prime minister over the government's reluctance to cooperate in an investigation of corruption charges against President Asif Ali Zardari.

The court summoned Yousuf Raza Gilani to appear on January 19. The proceedings could end with the dismissal of the premier if he refuses to apologize or assures the court that its orders will be respected.

'In these circumstances, we are left with no option, as a first step, to issue a show cause notice,' the court ruling stated. 'The prime minister should appear personally in court on January 19.'

The court has repeatedly ordered Gilani's government to ask Swiss authorities to reopen a money laundering case against Zardari. But the government says the president has immunity.

The cases, which date to the mid-1990s, were closed on the request of Pakistan under a controversial reconciliation order.

The order was a deal between the Pakistan Peoples Party and former military strongman Pervez Musharraf under which many people, including Zardari, were granted amnesty from corruption and other criminal charges.

The court last week said it had six options amid the government's failure to respect its orders, including Gilani's dismissal and early elections.

The summons came as tensions between the civilian government and the powerful military have escalated over an unsigned memo sent to US officials allegedly by former Pakistani ambassador to Washington, Hussain Haqqani.

In the memo, US officials were asked for help to prevent a military coup following a US raid in Pakistan that killed former al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden on May 2.