Benazir Bhutto ordered to appear in court to explain foreign holdings

A court in Lahore has ordered the former Pakistani prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, to appear next month February 12th to explain reports that she is holding two billion dollars in foreign bank accounts.

The court was acting on a writ by a local lawyer, Javed Iqbal Jafari, who wants a full investigation of holdings by Benazir Bhutto and her family abroad.

Miss Bhutto, who was dismissed from office more than a year ago after allegations of corruption, has denied accusations that she illegally transfered millions of dollars to private bank accounts abroad.

Last week Pakistan's chief corruption investigator revealed that the British authorities have ordered the seizure of documents relating to bank accounts held by Benazir and her family.

Switzerland blocked a number of accounts belonging to Miss Bhutto and her husband in September

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service