Search

Pakistan: Top lawyer promises more anti-Musharraf rallies until judges are restored

By SADAQAT JAN,Associated Press Writer AP - Monday, June 16

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - A top leader of Pakistan's popular lawyers' movement Sunday promised more, larger rallies on the heels of a massive protest in the capital demanding the government restore judges ousted by President Pervez Musharraf.

Aitzaz Ahsan gave no date for the future protests, but his comments indicated that the lawyers did not intend to ease their campaign for the restoration of the judges _ a subject that threatens to split the new coalition government and hasten the demise of the unpopular president.

"There will be other marches ... there will be bigger marches," Ahsan told The Associated Press. He said lawyer leaders would soon meet to discuss fresh protests.

The recent protest in Islamabad _ dubbed the Long March _ was one of the largest demonstrations in the capital's history, attracting tens of thousands of lawyers and activists.

Participants, who began traveling from around the country early in the week, arrived in Islamabad late Friday for a massive overnight rally close to the parliament building.

At times chanting "Hang, Musharraf, Hang!" demonstrators demanded the judiciary be restored.

Musharraf, a former army chief who seized power in a 1999 coup and has long enjoyed U.S. backing, fired dozens of judges and declared a state of emergency last year to avoid legal challenges to his presidency.

The two main parties that came to power after February elections on anti-Musharraf platforms have promised to restore the judges, but they have disputed how to do so. The falling out has threatened to break up the coalition and comes as the country grapples with a sinking economy and ongoing Islamic militancy.

Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, head of the second largest party in the coalition, has said the judges should be restored quickly _ possibly through an executive order from the prime minister. But the largest party in the ruling coalition wants to link their return to a complex package of constitutional reforms.

The bigger party, that of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, argues that it must first change the law and the constitution to ensure that Musharraf and his allies cannot block the plan with court challenges.

Sharif, who already has pulled his ministers from the Cabinet over the issue, has allied himself with the lawyers, who have spearheaded anti-Musharraf protests. The lawyers have said restoration of the judges should precede and not be linked with any changes to the constitution.

The former premier, whose government was ousted in Musharraf's coup, vowed to the weekend protesters that Musharraf would be put on trial and "held accountable."

"Listen Pervez Musharraf! The nation has given its verdict against you. Listen Musharraf to what the nation is saying and what the nation is demanding!" Sharif said.

On Sunday, a spokesman for Sharif's party said it will support further protests by lawyers to press for the judges' restoration and to force Musharraf to quit.

"We will support every move by anyone, including the legal community, which is directed toward achievement of this goal," Sadiqul Farooq said.

Meanwhile, Information Minister Sherry Rehman, a member of the largest party in the coalition, said the government will reinstate the judges _ but that it may take time.

"Trust your representative government. Everything will be done, God willing," Rehman told reporters in the southern city of Karachi.

Recommend this article

Average (0 votes)
0 stars
Sign in to recommend this article »
Most Recommended Stories »

Related Articles: Pakistan's Political Unrest

Related Articles: Asia Pacific