Dispaches-A Pakistani cabinet minister was to appear before the supreme court on Tuesday to explain an alleged delay in executing court orders to re-open graft cases against the head of state.

President Asif Ali Zardari is immune from prosecution while in office, but the supreme court has piled pressure on the government to reopen multiple cases after it scrapped an amnesty shielding politicians in December.
The court has for the first time summoned Law Minister Babar Awan to explain whether the government will initiate efforts to re-open a money laundering case against Zardari in Switzerland.
The government anti-corruption watchdog says the case involves millions of dollars. A panel of five judges will hear the case on Tuesday.
Security was tight with police and paramilitary forces deployed outside the building and visitors subject to a body search, an AFP reporter said.
Entry to the court was restricted to lawyers, litigants and journalists with special passes.
govt says won't reopen Zardari graft cases
Meanwhile Pakistan government on Tuseday stuck to its decision that it would not reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari in Switzerland and told the Supreme Court that reports about his alleged involvement in laundering of USD 60 million were “exaggerated.”
Photo : Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Tuesday gave the government a two-week ultimatum to submit a report on steps being taken to re-open corruption cases against the head of state and other politicans.