Pakistani lawyers boycott courts over top judge

ISLAMABAD, Mar 12 (Reuters) Pakistani lawyers boycotted courts today to protest the effective suspension of the country's top judge who is facing what state media said were accusations of ''misconduct and misuse of authority''.

The government's decision on Friday to take action against Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary has given ammunition to critics of President Pervez Musharraf who is expected to seek another term in office late this year.

The government has not released details of the allegations against Chaudhary, but lawyers and legal analysts said the action against him might be related to his efforts to account for people who have disappeared after being taken into custody.

In the city of Lahore, scuffles broke out when police with batons stopped lawyers who tried to march onto the streets from the High Court building.

In the capital, Islamabad, lawyers, many carrying black flags, went to courts but did not attend proceedings.

''Today, the entire lawyer community is out protesting and giving a unanimous message that we're against President Musharraf's action, we condemn it,'' Syed Zulfiqar Ali Bokhari, Secretary Pakistan Supreme Court Bar Association, told Reuters.

He said protests would continue until the government reviewed its decision.

The government said on Friday that a Supreme Judicial Council would hold an inquiry into ''numerous complaints and serious allegations'' against Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary, the state-run APP news agency reported.

Human rights groups have criticised the disappearance of at least 400 people since Pakistan joined the US-led war on terrorism in 2001. Chaudhary had recently called on the government to provide details on them.

REUTERS PA HS1505