Seven Pakistani judges quit over chief justice’s suspension

At least seven judges resigned in protest Monday over the suspension of Pakistan’s chief justice, aggravating a political crisis that has become a serious challenge to President Pervez Musharraf.

At the same time, hundreds of lawyers in Sindh and Punjab provinces kept up the demonstrations that have roiled the country since Musharraf removed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry from his post March 9 on unspecified charges of official misconduct.

Critics call the judge’s suspension a blatant interference with the judiciary for political purposes. Musharraf has denied the allegation, but the ensuing outcry has spiraled into one of the most serious political challenges to face the Pakistani leader since he took power in a coup in 1999.

As the nation’s top jurist, Chaudhry was known for an independent streak that embarrassed the government on several occasions. Last year he struck down the privatization of a large steel mill. More recently, he had insisted that Pakistan’s intelligence agencies respond to accusations that they held scores of people without due process.

Some observers say Chaudhry also could complicate Musharraf’s bid to hold on to power in elections this year and his expected attempt to retain the post of army chief in addition to the presidency.

Although the substance of the allegations of misconduct has not been made public, Chaudhry has said he will not resign and that the charges against him are “a farce.”

Friday, as he defended himself at a hearing before a council of senior judges at the Supreme Court building here, riot police charged protesters -- including lawyers and opposition politicians -- with batons and tear gas. Police also ransacked the offices of a private television station that had closely covered the controversy, an act Musharraf apologized for afterward.

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Caught by surprise

On Monday, Jawad Khawaja, a high court judge in the Punjab province city of Lahore, stepped down from the bench in protest over Chaudhry’s treatment. Six junior jurists from Sindh province also resigned.

“I have waited a few days before addressing you, in the hope something will be done to remedy the harm done to the judicial organ of the state. It seems I have waited in vain,” Khawaja said in his resignation letter, according to the Associated Press.

Musharraf, who analysts say was caught by surprise by the level of outrage that Chaudhry’s dismissal generated, met with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and members of parliament’s ruling coalition Sunday night to discuss the controversy.

In a statement, Musharraf said the charges against Chaudhry had been filed with the Supreme Judicial Council in keeping with Pakistan’s Constitution. He pledged to abide by whatever decision the council reached, raising the possibility that Chaudhry would be reinstated.

But the statement included a stark warning to the lawyers who have mounted noisy demonstrations in most of Pakistan’s major cities, such as Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi. Dozens of activists were arrested last week.

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‘Rejected by the masses’

“The lawyers community should not allow this judicial matter to be exploited by the elements whose repeated and recurring calls for agitations have been rejected by the masses,” Musharraf said.

Chaudhry’s next hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, and opposition political and religious parties and the dissenting lawyers have announced their intention to protest outside the Supreme Court.

On Monday, the high court, under the new acting chief justice, ordered Pakistan’s attorney general to appear before the panel today to respond to allegations that police manhandled Chaudhry last week as he walked from his Islamabad home to the Supreme Court.

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henry.chu@latimes.com

Special correspondent Zaidi reported from Islamabad and Times staff writer Chu from New Delhi.