Ruling in favor of Bhutto spouse

A court dropped graft cases against the husband of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

The ruling in favor of Asif Ali Zardari in an anti-corruption court will anger some ordinary Pakistanis but may smooth the way for a new administration to take office and begin tackling urgent issues, including Islamic extremism.

Bhutto's party came in first in last month's parliamentary elections, routing supporters of President Pervez Musharraf.

The anti-corruption court in Rawalpindi, acting under an order issued by Musharraf last year, instructed prosecutors to terminate five long-standing cases against Zardari.