Pakistan’s prime minister Wednesday appealed against a court summons to face a contempt indictment next week, challenging an order that could ultimately force his weak government into early elections

Pakistan's prime minister Wednesday appealed against a court summons to face a contempt indictment next week, challenging an order that could ultimately force his weak government into early elections.
  
Pakistan's highest court on February 2 summoned Yousuf Raza Gilani to appear on February 13 to face indictment, impatient over the government's refusal to re-open corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

Gilani's lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan said he based the appeal on precedents set by top courts in Australia, Britain, France, India and the United States. "My objection is that the court in its order on February 2 cited no specific reasons for initiating contempt of court proceedings against the prime minister," he told reporters.

Ahsan said there reasons not to indict the prime minister. "The president enjoyed immunity and the Swiss authorities have also closed the case. I should not comment further on this issue," he said.