Bhagwandas arrives in Karachi; Protests over CJ's removal continues

Islamabad, Mar 21 (UNI) Senior-most Judge of Pakistan Supreme Court Justice Rana Bhagwandas arrived in Karachi, as protests against removed of the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry continued across the country.

Pakistan's private Geo TV quoted him as saying on arrival that ''every action would be taken in accordance with the constitution''.

Justice Bhagwandas avoided media at Jinnah International Airport and reportedly disembarked 25 minutes after all passengers left the plane.

The senior-most judge, who was away to India, did not confirm if he was assuming office of the acting Chief Justice tomorrow.

However, private Aaj TV channel quoted him as saying that he might take a decision in the next couple of days.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people, including political activists and lawyers, took to the streets across Pakistan to protest suspension of Justice Chaudhry.

More than 1,500 activists of the six-party Islamic alliance, Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League of former Prime Ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif and lawyers broke their way through police cordons and reached in front of the Supreme Court building today.

Top MMA leadership, including Qazi Hussain Ahmad, addressed the protestors and said the crisis that surfaced with filing reference by President Pervez Musharraf against Justice Chaudhry to the Supreme Judicial Council would be over by April 3 when the council meets again.

''We do not want the US-backed government or a system in our country,'' he told charged protestors, who chanted slogans of ''Allah-o-Akbar'' (Allah is great), ''Musharraf is a pet dog of the US'' and ''down with America and Musharraf''.

Mr Qazi predicted that the Chief Justice would be restored by April three.

Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan said Gen Musharraf's days in government were numbered and a big revolution was in offing in Pakistan.

PML(N) central leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said, ''We respect armed forces, which defend country's frontiers and not those, which conquer their own people.'' As countrywide protests continue, a section of local media today revealed list of allegations levelled against Justice Chaudhry in the reference.

The presidential reference filed by the government against Justice Chaudhry mainly focuses on the alleged appointment of his son Dr Arsalan Iftikhar in the medical profession and then in the police service.

''The 17-page reference has eleven pages on Justice Chaudhry's alleged abuse of office to get his son appointed in the senior police services in contravention to all rules and regulations,'' Dawn newspaper reported.

This is for the first time since March 9 that contents of the reference have been revealed in the media, amid repeated demands by Justice Chaudhry's counsels for open hearing into the presidential charges of misconduct and misuse of authority against the top judge.

''Rest of the reference deals mainly with allegations relating to Justice Chaudhry using a fleet of cars contrary to rules, his insistence on protocol, using planes and helicopters, to which he was not entitled, and using a BMW car with registration No Razia-1 by a member of his family,'' said the paper.

''Justice Chaudhry unlawfully used his position as a judge and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan to influence, harass and intimidate all concerned and compelled them to act in an unlawful manner,'' the reference alleged.

The reference contains the same accusations as mentioned by advocate Naeem Bokhari in his open letter to the Chief Justice and also carried by a section of the press about the irregular appointment of his son in the police force.

Contents of the reference were revealed a day after the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), adjourned today's meeting on the presidential reference until April 3.

''The SJC has adjourned hearing of application filed by Justice Chaudhry in reference against him until April 3,'' said a statement issued by the council here yesterday.

Munir A Malik, one of the counsels for Justice Chaudhry, had told reporters here that the adjournment was aimed at sabotaging movement of the lawyers.

UNI