Islamabad: The Pakistan government today said it is willing to provide evidence to Swiss courts hearing graft cases against former premier Benazir Bhutto, casting a shadow over parleys between her and President Pervez Musharraf to forge a possible power-sharing arrangement.

Minister of State Tariq Azeem told reporters that evidence and witnesses would be provided to foreign courts if a request for this is made. He noted that a Swiss judge had completed his probe against Bhutto, her husband Asif Ali Zardari and their agent for allegedly receiving commissions and kickbacks.

Azeem's comments came even as a special court in Rawalpindi refused to dismiss corruption cases registered by the National Accountability Bureau against Bhutto and Zardari till the Supreme Court ruled on petitions challenging the National Reconciliation Ordinance that granted her amnesty in graft cases.

The PPP reacted angrily, with a spokesman saying that ordinance clearly stated that the Pakistan government would drop all cases registered against Bhutto before 1999 and suspend cooperation with foreign courts hearing graft charges against the former prime minister. Bhutto returned to Pakistan from eight years in self-exile on October 18 after Musharraf issued the ordinance following several months of secret talks with her.

Source : PTI