PAKISTAN: Supporters celebrate as Supreme Court reinstat Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, in a blow for President Pervez Musharraf

Pakistan's Supreme Court reinstated Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry in an historic ruling on Friday (July 20) that dealt a blow to President Pervez Musharraf, who suspended the country's top judge four months earlier. Chaudhry became a symbol of resistance to General Musharraf after refusing to quit in the face of pressure from the president and his intelligence chiefs, and was lionised by supporters in rallies round the country. The decision to reinstate Chaudhry was unanimous, but the decision to quash the charges against him was carried by a 10 to 3 majority. There was a party atmosphere at his house in Islamabad after the ruling was made. Supporters gathered to celebrate and Chaudhry joined them on the lawn of his home. Chaudhry's defiance created the greatest challenge to Musharraf since he came to power in a coup eight years ago, and his reinstatement could create problems for Musharraf's plans for re-election for a second five-year term in the coming months. Lawyers across the country were jubilant after the court ruling was announced. Hundreds marched through the eastern city of Lahore in celebration. They distributed sweets as a traditional expression of celebration and delight. Some danced with joy, the other thanked God by gesture of prostration. The mish-mash of misconduct charges against Chaudhry included using influence to get his son a job, fiddling petrol expenses and that he had a penchant for expensive cars. The government filed a statement in court last month in which it also accused Chaudhry of harassing judges, showing bias in appointments and intimidating police and civil servants. Musharraf's real motive for trying to get rid of Chaudhry, many critics suspect, was that the judge could allow constitutional challenges to his plans to get re-elected by current assemblies before they are dissolved for a general election at the end of the year. Musharraf had earlier said he would accept whatever decision the court reached regarding Chaudhry, and his Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz issued a statement saying much the same.

ITN Source | July 21, 2007

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