Pak PM indicted in contempt case

Next hearing on Feb 22. Court appoints Attorney General as prosecutor.

PTI reports that Mr Gilani has also presented his stance in court and pleaded not guilty of contempt. Mr Gilani has been hauled up by Pakistan's highest court for refusing to act on its orders to reopen graft cases against the President, Asif Ali Zardari.

"Have read and understood the indictment order," says Mr Gilani in court

Two-page indictment order signed by all the judges. Gilani also reads the indictment order.

Mr Gilani indicted in contempt case

Interior Minister Rahman Malik is with Mr Gilani. Other ministers are already at the court.

Mr Gilani will appear before a 7-member bench headed by Justice Nasir ul Mulk in court room number 4.

As on January 19, when he appeared last in court, Mr Gilani drove his car to court.

PM Gilani reaches court; waves to people, a smile on his face.

Mr Gilani is expected to arrive at the court house soon.

The government's stand is that it cannot reopen cases against the President because he enjoys complete immunity in Pakistan and abroad. The court has told Mr Gilani that he has no option but to ask Swiss authorities to revive graft cases against Mr Zardari as no one is above the law.

Mr Gilani personally appeared in court last on January 19.

Mr Gilani told Al Jazeera in an interview on Saturday that if convicted, he would resign.

If convicted, Mr Gilani could be imprisoned for six months and face possible removal from office after being disqualified from holding public office for five years.

On Friday, Pakistan's Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, had rejected Prime Minister Gilani's appeal against framing of contempt charges. The court says Mr Gilani has failed to act on its repeated orders to revive cases of corruption against President Asif Ali Zardari.

Pakistan Information Minister Firdous Awan, who has arrived at the court, said, "We respect courts...we are with neutral umpiring...this is not new for us...PPP has been giving such sacrifices for ages...Zulfiqar Bhutto's was a legal (adalati) murder.

Before going into the court, Gilani's lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan said, "Court will tell us which mode of operation it will adopt...I am going to put my stance to prove PM's innocence."

Senior leaders of the Pakistan People's Party have started arriving at the court.

High security arrangements are in place in and around the Supreme Court and are being monitored by Gilani's security staff.

Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani will appear before the Supreme Court today to face contempt charges over his refusal to reopen graft cases against the President.