Pakistan stops minister at airport after court ruling

Pakistani's defence minister was stopped from leaving the country, newsreports said on Friday, after a court struck down an amnesty protecting him and other leaders, including president Asif Ali Zardari from prosecution.                                           

Fears of political turmoil have increased as the opposition mounts pressure on Zardari and his aides to resign following the Supreme court order, even though he is shielded by presidential immunity.                                           

On Thursday, defence minister Ahmed Mukhtar, who faces the resumption of an earlier corruption-related case, was stopped by immigration authorities when he tried to go on an official visit to China, the Financial Times and CNN said.                                           

The prospect of political instability comes as the United States increases calls on Pakistan to tackle the Afghan Taliban in lawless border enclaves, where Pakistani security agents said suspected US drones attacked on Thursday, killing 12 fighters.                                           

The Supreme Court threw out on Wednesday the 2007 amnesty that protected Zardari and top aides from graft charges, heaping pressure on the unpopular pro-American leader.                                           

The ruling means all old cases covered by the amnesty, most of them corruption cases, have been revived. It also asked the government to seek the revival of cases lodged in foreign countries.                                          

Among those protected by the amnesty were the interior and defence ministers and several of Zardari's top aides.                                           

If they departed from government it would not have a significant impact on Pakistan's war on militancy, which is led by the army.                                           

Immediately after the Wednesday evening court ruling, Zardari's spokesmen said the president's ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP) respected the decision but there was no question of the president resigning.