Hundreds protest over move to sack Pakistani judge

Islamabad, Apr 3: Hundreds of political activists protested today outside the Supreme Court in the Pakistani capital where the country's suspended top judge was due to appear for a hearing into accusations against him.

The government's move to sack Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry on March 9 outraged the legal community, which sees it as an attack on the independence of the judiciary, and galvanised political opposition to President Pervez Musharraf.

Several hundred political activists, most from an alliance of conservative opposition religious parties, chanted ''Go Musharraf Go'' on a main road outside the court.

''This movement will end dictatorship. This will not stop,'' said member of parliament Farid Paracha, a leader of the religious alliance.

Police with batons, helmets and riot shields blocked the main road outside the Supreme Court to traffic but made no move to disperse the protesters.

Chaudhry is due to appear for the third time before a panel of judges hearing the accusations against him in closed session. He denies wrongdoing and has demanded a public hearing.

Police detained scores of activists yesterday in a bid to thwart the protests, which are also due to be held in other cities. Lawyers are boycotting courts across the country.

Analysts said Musharraf might have moved to sack the independent-minded Chaudhry because he feared the judge would not allow him to retain the post of army chief, which he is due to give up this year when he is also expected to seek another presidential term.

The uproar is seen as a major challenge to Musharraf, but the protests have yet to attract huge crowds and analysts say the army chief who seized power in 1999 still has the support of the military and is expected to weather the storm.

Among those detained yesterday was the leader of the religious alliance, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, who was confined to his home in the capital.

The government has not specified the accusations against Chaudhry but a newspaper has reported the main one appeared to be that he pulled rank to help his son get a public sector job.

Musharraf defended his actions, saying everything he had done had been in line with the constitution. He admitted some mistakes in the handling of the case such as failing to keeping the public better informed.

Chaudhry, in his first public address since his suspension, told lawyers last week the independence of the judiciary had to be protected, but he declined to comment on his case.

Reuters

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