Pakistan high court demands Pakistan PM appear in corruption case, setting stage for showdown

Munir Ahmed, The Associated Press

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan's supreme court is demanding the country's prime minister appear before it to explain why he has not taken action they've requested looking into corruption allegations against the president.

The head of a five-judge panel said Wednesday that Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf must appear August 27.

The announcement is part of a long-running battle between the president and prime minister and Pakistan's highest court.

The court wants the prime minster to write a letter to Swiss authorities asking them to reopen an old corruption case against President Asif Ali Zardari. The government maintains that Zardari has immunity from prosecution and so far has resisted writing the letter.

The previous prime minister lost his job in June in a similar showdown with the court after refusing to write the letter.