Zardari in court on graft charges

Former Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari appeared before an anti-corruption court yesterday over multi-million-dollar graft allegations dating back to the 1990s.
The cases against Zardari relate to kickbacks, money-laundering and the illegal construction of a polo ground at the prime minister's official residence, during his slain wife Benazir Bhutto's two stints as premier.
As president, Zardari enjoyed immunity from prosecution, but this ended when he stepped down in September last year after five years in office. After a brief session, the hearing was adjourned to January 18.
Dozens of supporters of Zardari's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) greeted him at the court in a leafy residential area of Islamabad, chanting slogans and waving placards.
The probe includes corruption allegations relating to customs contracts given to two Swiss companies that were behind a long-running tussle between the Supreme Court and the PPP-led government, which lost office in May's general election.