Pakistan PM charged with contempt

Pakistan's Supreme Court charged the prime minister with contempt today for defying its orders to reopen a corruption case against his political ally, President Asif Ali Zardari, sharpening a political crisis that has gripped the country. If convicted, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani could be imprisoned and would likely lose his job.

On Monday, Gilani drove to the court himself, accompanied by his lawyer, amid tight security. Helicopters buzzed over a rainy and overcast Islamabad, and hundreds of police blocked roads leading to the court building in the capital. Gilani said he understood the charges after they were read out and pledged to contest them.

The move was the formal start to a process that will now take weeks or months to conclude. The next session will be on Feb. 22.