Islamabad, Sep 18 (IANS): Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf Tuesday appeared before the Supreme Court, which had last month given him three-weeks' time to write to Swiss authorities on reopening corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

Raja Pervez Ashraf arrived at the the Supreme Court premises Tuesday to attend the hearing on the NRO verdict implementation case, DawnNews reported.

The prime minister was expected to apprise the court over the issue of writing the letter to Swiss authorities.

On Aug 27, the Supreme Court had given three-week reprieve to Raja Pervez Ashraf by adjourning the contempt case against him till Sep 18.

The court had July 25 given Ashraf time till Aug 8 to write to Swiss authorities to reopen corruption cases against Zardari.

Accused of graft, Zardari was granted amnesty under the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) in 2007 by then president Pervez Musharraf to facilitate his return home from exile, and primarily that of his wife, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

Zardari and Bhutto were suspected of using Swiss accounts to launder about $12 million in alleged bribes paid by companies seeking customs inspection contracts in the 1990s.

The NRO that granted immunity to politicians and bureaucrats in corruption cases was struck down by the Supreme Court as void in 2009.

The apex court in January ordered Gilani to write a letter to the Swiss authorities to reopen cases against Zardari.

Gilani was convicted April 26 of contempt of court, and was disqualified as prime minister as well as parliament member June 19.