Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan's president, issued a decree on Sunday to prevent legal challenges against any actions taken or orders passed by the recently ousted prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani over the past two months. Gilani was convicted of contempt of court on April 26 and dismissed last week. The Supreme Court ordered Gilani's removal from office for refusing to reopen corruption cases against Zardari. The move was the culmination of a stand-off between the judiciary and the government.