Pak asks Switzerland to open case against Zardari

Pakistan has dispatched an official letter asking Swiss authorities to revive graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

The letter has been sent on the condition that such a move will be linked to the international immunity available to the head of state.
  
The government has written the letter to Swiss authorities in the light of the Supreme Court's directions and it was sent to Switzerland through the Foreign Office on Monday, state-run media reported today.
  
The letter was written in line with the apex court's orders and its text was the same as that agreed to by the court and Law Minister Farooq Naek, Radio Pakistan reported.
  
On October 10, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court approved the draft of the letter after examining it behind closed doors.
  
The draft letter made it clear that any proceedings in Switzerland would be conditional to the immunity provided to the President by the Constitution and Pakistani and international laws.
  
The breakthrough came after weeks of sparring between the apex court and the government's legal team over the contents of the letter.
  
The government was time given till November 10 to send the letter to Switzerland.
  
The government will now have to inform the court that the letter has been received by Swiss authorities.