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Zardari case reinvigorated

Islamabad: The battle for power in Pakistan took a fresh twist on Wednesday when the government reinvigorated a Swiss corruption case against opposition leader Asif Zardari on the eve of post-election power sharing talks that threaten President Pervez Musharraf.

Government lawyers urged a court in Geneva to prosecute Mr. Zardari on 10-year-old charges of stashing $55 million in kickbacks in a Swiss bank account.

The move was seen as a pressure tactic against Mr. Zardari, widower of the assassinated Benazir Bhutto.

The Swiss case stalled last year after General (retired) Musharraf struck a “reconciliation” deal with Benazir Bhutto under which all corruption charges would be dropped. But since her assassination on December 27, and this week’s election victory, all bets appear to be off.

“There has been no ruling in 10 years. Why? The answer is simple — because this is all political,” said Mr. Zardari’s lawyer Saverio Lembo. — © Guardian Newspapers Limited, 2008

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