ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday filed an appeal against a Supreme Court's order of summoning him in contempt of court proceedings, his defence lawyers and court officials said.

According to Xinhua news agency Prime Minister Gilani is facing contempt of court charges for refusing to reopen graft cases against Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.

The Supreme Court had ordered reopening of all corruption cases against the president, who had been given amnesty under a law in 2007. 

The court cancelled the National Reconciliation Ordinance or NRO in 2009. The NRO had been issued by former President Pervez Musharraf under a deal with former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

The apex court last week summoned Prime Minister Gilani to appear on Feb 13 to frame formal charges against him.

Hours after the court issued his production order, the prime minister announced in the parliament that he would appear before the court. 

On his first hearing, the prime minister defended his government's action not to reopen corruption cases against President Zardari as he argued the president enjoys immunity from prosecution.

The Supreme Court had ordered the government to write a letter to Swiss authorities for opening graft cases there.

The country's anti-corruption institution said earlier that millions of dollars had been transferred to Swiss banks and must be returned. 

Opposition parties allege that leaders of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party has foreign bank accounts.

Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, defence lawyer for the prime minister, on Wednesday filed appeal in the Supreme Court, requesting suspension of its earlier appeal of framing formal charges against his client.  

The 54-point appeal also called for review of the apex court's order, the court officials said.

Ahsan said that he has also called for withdrawal of the show cause notice to the prime minister. He said a nine-member bench will be formed to give verdict on the review appeal.

The Supreme Court's Registrar Office will look into the legal aspects of the appeal before it is submitted to the seven-member bench which hears contempt charges against the prime minister.

Legal experts are divided over the status of the review appeal in the contempt proceedings. Some are of the view that no review appeal could be filed as a seven-member bench of the apex court had unanimously issued the contempt notice to the prime minister. But others are of the opinion that the prime minister has the right of a review appeal.

The experts say that a person found guilty of contempt of court can face a six-month jail term. A member of the parliament could be deprived of membership, they argue. A lawmaker can also face a five-year ban from holding any public office if charged in contempt proceedings.

- Bernama