GENEVA, Sept 19: Pakistan’s former prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, relaunched her defence against Swiss charges of money laundering on Monday, appearing in a Geneva court and said the accusations were politically motivated.

Ms Benazir told journalists outside the courthouse, where she was due to deliver evidence to an investigating judge, that she was the target of a vendetta by her political foes in Pakistan.

“It pains me that they are using the judicial authorities here to score certain political points back home in Pakistan,” she said, adding that she was confident of being cleared.

The case relates to accusations dating back to the 1990s that Ms Benazir and her husband, Asif Ali Zardari, accepted commissions for awarding contracts to two Swiss companies to do business in Pakistan.

Until now, she has delayed the judge’s request to appear to answer questions, citing ailing health. The Pakistan government accuses Ms Benazir of stashing millions of dollars in kickbacks in Switzerland. —Reuters