Pakistan: Iftikhar Chaudhry to face new complaint

Islamabad, June 10: Pakistan's government has prepared a new misconduct complaint against the suspended chief judge, the law minister today said raising the stakes in a three-month-old dispute that has sparked street protests.

President Pervez Musharraf's move to dismiss Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry on accusations of misconduct on March 9 prompted a series of sometimes violent demonstrations by lawyers and opposition political activists.

The protests represent the most serious challenge to Musharraf's authority since he seized power in a 1999 coup, and threatens stability in a nuclear-armed country on the front line of a global anti-terrorism campaign.

Law Minister Wasi Zafar said the government had prepared a new complaint, known as a reference, against Chaudhry for activities deemed a violation of a top judge's code of conduct.

''It has been drafted ... and will have to be filed at an appropriate time,'' Zafar told sources, without giving details.

A senior lawyer said the complaint indicated the government was determined to remove the independent-minded Chaudhry, who has denied wrongdoing and refused to resign.

''They are absolutely determined and adamant to get rid of the chief justice,'' said Akram Sheiqh, a lawyer who supports Chaudhry's cause.

The crisis has erupted in the run-up to elections and analysts believe Musharraf's main motive for seeking to dismiss Chaudhry stemmed from doubts he would be supportive in the event of constitutional challenges to the president's election plan.

Musharraf has said he will seek re-election by the sitting national and provincial assemblies before they are dissolved for a general election around the end of the year.

But he is believed to be reluctant to give up his post of army chief as is constitutionally required.

The street protests have turned into a broad movement for the restoration of democracy.

For nearly a month, the Supreme Court has been listening to legal arguments aimed at determining what judicial body should rule on the original complaint of misconduct against Chaudhry.

According to a statement filed in the Supreme Court last week, the accusations include fiddling expenses, harassing judges, bias in appointments and intimidating police and civil servants.

The suspended Supreme Court chief has made several trips out of Islamabad to meet his supporters and talk to lawyers over recent weeks.

An attempt to meet lawyers in Karachi on May 12 sparked the worst political violence in Pakistan in years. About 40 people were killed when pro-government activists clashed with opposition supporters hoping to welcome Chaudhry to the city.

There has been no violence since then.

Reuters

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