Thousands rally against Pakistan Judge's sacking

Islamabad, Apr 24: More than 3,000 lawyers, Islamists andactivists of secular political parties thronged the Supreme Courtbuilding as the suspended Chief Justice Iftikhar Mushammad Chaudhryappeared before the Supreme Judicial Council today.

This was the biggest protest rally since March 9 when PresidentPervez Musharraf sacked Justice Chaudhry for misuse of his position andgetting his son a job in Pakistan Police Service (PSP) in completedisregard of government rules.

Thousands of workers belonging to Islamic opposition alliance,Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and PakistanMuslim League of former exiled Prime Ministers Benazir Bhutto and NawazSharif and Tehrik-e-Insaf of crickter-turned politician Imran Khanassembled in front of the Supreme Court after breaking through securitycordons and chanted slogans against Musharraf.

"We will not allow Musharraf to play with prestige and dignity ofjudiciary," MMA chief Qazi Hussain Ahmad told hundreds of hisglaf-waving supporters under the blazing son.

He said opposition's struggle is not merely confined to bringingback the Chief Justice. "We want an independent judiciary free ofmilitary's influence and capable of guiding the nation in a rightdirection," he stressed.

"Judges must reject influence of the militarty establishment andrefuse to succumb to their pressures," he said amid thunderous applauseby his supproters.

However, situation turned dangerous with chances of violentclashes as ruling Pakistan Muslim League chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussainarrived at the venue while leading a pro-Musharraf rally of over 1,000people.

"We will not allow opposition to disgrace judiciary," Hussain toldhis supporters, as police and paramilitary rangers took positions toavoid any clash.

This was a first-ever rally by the ruling PML in support ofMusharraf, who is accused by his opponents of trying to weakenjudiciary to ensure his re-election from parliament for the second termwhile retaining office of the army chief.

Meanwhile, a full Bench of the Supreme Court referred JusticeChaudhry's petition, in which he has challenged his suspension andconstitution of the council, to acting Chief Justice Rana Bhagwandas,who will now constitute a larger bench or full court of judges to hearthe case.

Justice Sardar MUhammad Raza Khan, who headed the bench said thathe could not hear the case as he had signed the council's order onMarch 9, which restrained the Chief Justice from working.

Chaudhry raised 132 legal points in his petition challenging hissuspension, competence and constitution of the five-member councilheaded by Bhagwandas.

The issue also came up for discussion in the SJC, which also methere today with lawyers of Justice Chaudhry asking the council to stayits proceedings till decision of the larger or full court on thelatter's petition.

However, the council turned down the request and listened to theobjections by Chaudhry's lawyers on composition of the council and thedecision to send the top judge on forced leave.

The Council will now meet on May 2.

UNI