Pakistan's High Court Reinstates Top Judge

(AP)  The Supreme Court on Friday reinstated Pakistan's top judge, ruling that his suspension by key U.S. ally President Gen. Pervez Musharraf was "illegal."

By a 10-3 vote, the judges also quashed a case of alleged misconduct by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry that the military leader had referred to a separate judicial panel.

The verdict is a major blow to Musharraf's standing and probably the biggest challenge to his dominance since he seized power in a coup in 1999. It could further complicate his bid to win a new five-year presidential term this fall.

Presiding Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday said Musharraf's order suspending the Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry was "set aside as being illegal."

Chaudhry's March 9 suspension had sparked protests by lawyers and opposition parties that have grown into a powerful pro-democracy movement just as Musharraf faces a rising tide of Islamic militancy.

As lawyers celebrated outside the court in Islamabad, Chaudhry's chief counsel Aitzaz Ahsan told reporters that the case alleging misconduct by Chaudhry had been "quashed."

"He has been restored and it is a victory for the entire nation," he said.

Lawyers swarmed around the attorney, chanting "Go Musharraf Go!" The verdict also prompted celebrations among gatherings of lawyers in major cities, including Lahore and Rawalpindi.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Friday accepted the ruling and appealed for national unity as Pakistan moves toward elections.

"I would like to emphasize that we must all accept the verdict with grace and dignity reflective of a mature nation. This is not the time to claim victory or defeat. The Constitution and the law have prevailed and must prevail at all times," he was quoted as saying by the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan.

A top Pakistani human rights activists declared the verdict as an assertion of the independence of the judiciary and a victory for civil society.

"It's very clear that guns and intimidation will not bow down civil society or civil institutions of Pakistan," said Asma Jehangir, chair of the nongovernment Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

Musharraf suspended Chaudhry for allegedly pulling rank to secure a police job for his son and enjoying unwarranted privileges such as the use of government aircraft.

The government insists the case has no political motive and that Musharraf had little choice under the constitution but to suspend Chaudhry.

However, opponents accuse Musharraf of plotting to remove an independent-minded judge to forestall legal challenges to his plan to ask lawmakers for another term.

[lars008-2009]

who happened to have stolen the last elections in Florida. Last thing Mush-arraf's done is the destruction of red mosque in Waziristan. That was not aclean operation, was it?
Posted by grazinggoat at 04:10 PM : Jul 20, 2007

hahahahahaha

that was the 2000 election with al bore... the 2004 election was about ohio votes with hanoi jane fonde kerry... lol

it was the fascist nazi terrorislam muslims that did the violence at the red mosque... the police and military just did the job they are hired to do... arrest the perpetrators of violence or kill them if thy refuse to be arrested and restore peace... protecting the moderate majority form the fascist nazi terrorislam minority...

i know... you prefer violent fascist nazi terrorislam... lol

hahahahahahahaha

[tbweb]

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf knows his country and the region well. Pres. Musharraf kept getting pressure from the U.S. to go after Islamic extremist and Pres. Musharraf would reply 'are you crazy, no way, let me handle this my way', but an increasingly impatient U.S. kept applying the pressure and Pres. Musharraf acted. I'm sure he didn't want to but now we have this very unstable situation in Pakistan and a reinstated Judge who will be out for revenge and payback no matter how much he denies it! President Musharraf sees what's happening now and knows he can't reverse it, so now what? If Pres. Musharraf is sharp he will replace himself as President while he still has the power to do so in which case he gets to chose his successor until new elections. He can resume his old post as head of the military in the mean time. Replacing the President who fired him while he was out of the country was only suppose to be temporary anyway, but it looks like he got a little comfortable in power. Becoming the head of the military again is a step down from President but that power is better than no power at all and technically that's where Musharraf belongs anyway! This will defuse the current crises and take a lot of heat off as well. Change is coming, its unavoidable at this point, it can be smooth or brutal, and if Musharraf looks at it that way things can still turn out well.

[speakinup]

"stolen the last elections in Florida" goatbutt

So, you are still frustrated over that myth. Waz za matter, has it got yer goat ? One and a half more years, AT LEAST. Enjoy.

"killed to get in power" - you don't know squat, goat. But you sure are full of opinion - pretty much sums up liberals on this web site.

[dargay]

This is a good decision that will strengthen the judiciary in Pakistan. I have been a strong supporter of Musharraf but on this issue I think he made a big mistake, and I have supported the Chief Justice.

[grazinggoat]

wronggggggggg what part of bloodless don't you understand??? and whom was president in 1999???
Posted by lars008

-Ok then arse008, it was bloodless, but he killed after his coup... that doesn't make him a great president. Like the one we have and who's undergoing a major cleanup/lubrication/oil-change this week-end and who happened to have stolen the last elections in Florida. Last thing Mush-arraf's done is the destruction of red mosque in Waziristan. That was not aclean operation, was it?

[lars008-2009]

-Thanks crash07 for your generosity! The mush-araff's governement is a dictatorship. He killed to get into power, under the good blessings of our government.
Posted by grazinggoat at 11:14 AM : Jul 20, 2007

wronggggggggg what part of bloodless don't you understand??? and whom was president in 1999???

hahahahahaha

In October 1999 General Pervez Musharraf (born 1943) came to power in Pakistan when he seized control of the government in a bloodless military coup.
http://www.answers.com/topic/pervez-musharraf

at leas he is against fascist nazi terrorislam minority and for the moderate majority...

[grazinggoat]

He probably would have been locked up and forgotten. Its nice to see Pakistans civil society functioning in a democratic manner.
Posted by cbscrash07

-Thanks crash07 for your generosity! The mush-araff's governement is a dictatorship. He killed to get into power, under the good blessings of our government.

[Syndicate]

I was kinda hoping he would be reinstated. Nothing against Musharraf. It just shows that Pakistan is not a totalitarian dictatorship. If this had happened in Venezuela, the judge would not have been returned to the Bench. He probably would have been locked up and forgotten. Its nice to see Pakistans civil society functioning in a democratic manner.