Pakistan's increasingly powerful Supreme Court on Tuesday (September 18) gave Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf more time to re-open a corruption case against the country's president.<br/> <br />Ashraf, who could be charged with contempt of court or face disqualification if he does not comply, has until September 25 to submit a draft of a letter to Swiss authorities asking them to reopen a corruption case against President Asif Ali Zardari.<br/> <br />Supreme Court Judge Asif Saeed Khosa said Ashraf was "exempted" from appearing in court personally in the case during future hearings.<br/> <br />His predecessor, Yusaf Raza Gilani, was found guilt of contempt and disqualified from holding the post of prime minister in June.<br/> <br />The case has fuelled tension in a long-running stand-off between the government and increasingly assertive judiciary.<br/> <br />If Ashraf is disqualified, the ruling Pakistan People's Party can simply nominate a new prime minister since it has a comfortable majority in parliament.
