During his appearance in court, Ashraf reportedly told the judges that he had not committed any contempt as the PPP has taken a principled stance on not writing a letter to the Swiss authorities about reopening the graft cases against Zardari.
The premier was also expected to tell the judges that he enjoys immunity under the Constitution for his actions and is not answerable to the courts.
The PPP's decision on Ashraf's appearance in court was influenced by the thinking of its close allies like the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the Awami National Party, which are opposed to any confrontation between the government and the judiciary ahead of the general election scheduled for next year.
The apex court has been pressuring the PPP-led government to revive the cases against the President since December 2009, when it struck down a graft amnesty that benefited Zardari and over 8,000 others.
The PPP has refused to act, saying the President enjoys immunity from prosecution in Pakistan and abroad.
PPP leaders have also accused the judges of acting in a biased manner, saying the apex court has only focussed on Zardari and not the other beneficiaries of the graft amnesty.
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