Pakistan’s Supreme Court yesterday rejected a last-ditch appeal by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani against an imminent contempt charge, prompting fears of further political instability in the strategically vital country. For two years, Gilani has asserted that the president enjoys absolute constitutional immunity, but an eight-judge panel of the high court, expressing exasperation, said the prime minister must appear Monday to be indicted for contempt over his refusal to obey an earlier court order to reopen old corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.