Pakistan President today signed into law a bill aimed at giving blanket immunity to top government leaders from contempt of court proceedings.The law is aimed at countering the Supreme Court's efforts to pressure the premier to revive graft cases against Asif Ali Zardari.

Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said Zardari gave his assent to the Contempt of Court Bill of 2012 after it was passed by the Senate and the National Assembly.The President signed the bill hours before the Supreme Court resumed hearing a case related to the graft charges in Switzerland.

Officials said the law would replace two ordinances on contempt of court issued by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf in 2003 and 2004. The bill was passed by the National Assembly on Monday and Senate approved the bill by late last night. 

A bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry disqualified former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani on June 19 following his conviction of contempt in April for refusing to reopen the cases.