A top Pakistani court has ruled that President Asif Ali Zardari must relinquish his position as chief of the country's ruling party.

The Lahore High Court ruled on Thursday on a petition filed by a lawyer who had argued that Pakistan's constitution prohibits the president to also head a political party.

A spokeswoman for Zardari says she had not seen the ruling and declined comment.

It's unclear what impact the ruling will have, but it will likely to put Zardari on the defensive. His Pakistan's People's Party is seen as very unpopular and has struggled to keep its ruling coalition intact.

Zardari could ignore the ruling or appeal it, which could stretch out the proceedings for many more months.

An Austrian court on Monday approved the extradition of former Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader to his homeland, where he is suspected of corruption while in office, but his lawyer immediately announced an appeal.

Austrian police detained Sanader on Dec. 10 after Croatian authorities issued an international arrest warrant for him, and he has been jailed in Salzburg ever since.

During a closed-door session Monday in Salzburg, a judge ruled that Sanader's extradition was permissible, Salzburg Court president Hans Rathgeb told The Associated Press. However, the 57-year-old will remain in Austrian custody until a court in Linz decides to either grant or reject the extradition appeal, he added.

Sanader, who was in power for six years until he abruptly resigned on July 1, 2009, has proclaimed his innocence in any abuse of office claims. He alleges the charges against him are politically motivated and designed to keep him from returning to high office.

Sanader's lawyer, Werner Suppan, claimed his client would not receive a fair trial in Croatia, the Austria Press Agency reported.

An Egyptian court on Thursday ordered the name of ousted President Hosni Mubarak and his wife Suzanne removed from all public facilities and institutions — the latest step in dismantling the legacy of the former leader's 29 years in power.

The ruling will affect hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of subway stations, schools, streets, squares and libraries across the nation that over the years bore the name of the former leader or his wife.

In announcing the ruling, Judge Mohammed Hassan Omar said "people have uncovered Mubarak's journey of corruption that began at a parade stand and ended at Tahrir square."

He was referring to the assassination of Mubarak's predecessor Anwar Sadat in October 1981.

With Mubarak, then vice president, seated next to him, Sadat was shot dead by Muslim radicals while reviewing a military parade. Days later, Mubarak became president after a nationwide referendum in which he was the only candidate.

Tahrir square in central Cairo was the epicenter of the revolt against Mubarak, where masses converged daily for 18 days of protests that eventually toppled the president. Mubarak stepped down on Feb. 11.

"It has become clear that the size of the corruption (under Mubarak) that's being uncovered every day exceeds by far anyone's imagination," said the judge.