Suspended Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry (centre) leaves his residence with lawyers in Islamabad yesterday to address the bar in Abbottabad, a town in Frontier Province. - Reuters ABBOTABAD, Pakistan (AP):
The political crisis over the president's suspension of Pakistan's Chief Justice shows no signs of abating yesterday as the jurist drew his biggest crowd yet despite a blackout oflive television coverage.
President Gen. Pervez Musharraf ousted Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry on March 9, triggering a backlash that has challenged the general's grip on power as he prepares to seek another five-year term later this year.
Dozens of supporters accom-panied Chaudhry's convoy Saturday morning as it left the capital of Islamabad, defying the city's new two-month ban on gatherings of more than five people. The government said Friday it had imposed the restrictions to ensure the peace and avoid any inconvenience to the public.
Witnesses estimated at least 50,000-60,000 people gathered along the road to Abbotabad, 50 kilometres (30 miles) to the north. Chaudhry was fted as a hero as he arrived in the opposition stronghold.
People swarmed his vehicle and showered it with red rose petals as they danced to the beat of drums, waved flags and chanted "Go, Musharraf, go." All roads leading to Abbotabad were decorated with banners, balloons and portraits of the judge.
"I never saw such enthusiasm among people," said Nawaz Khan, a prominent lawyer.
No right
At least 20,000 stayed around until past 2 a.m. to hear Chaudhry briefly address a group of lawyers. Some of the attorneys gave set-up speeches saying Musharraf had no right to suspend the chief justice.
At he has at other rallies, Chaudhry once again chose his words carefully, reflecting both the sensivity of the standoff and his legal challenge to the suspension. He did not mention Musharraf by name and focused on what he called a need to ensure that the judiciary maintain its independence and protects individual rights.
"The judiciary should emerge as a strong institution, as an institution on which the people have full confidence," he said. "In order to win the confidence of the people, the judiciary should show courage, dedication and commitment."
The government has asked news channels to reduce coverage of the top judge, the latest sign of intolerance of what it claims has been biased reporting. So instead of the live coverage they gave to previous rallies, most stations only reported on Chaudhry's procession, showing previously recorded footage.
Mohsin Raza, news director for the AYR news channel, said the government was exerting pressure on the coverage issue.
Freedom of the press
"It's a kind of censorship of the electronic media," he said.
One broadcaster, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said Friday his network received "verbal instructions" from the government not to show live coverage of Chaudhry's rallies.
However, Information Minister Mohammed Ali Durrani told The Associated Press that the government believes in freedom of the press, and that it had only requested the media abide by their code of conduct.
Musharraf has said he suspended Chaudhry because of alleged misconduct and that his opponents have been politicising a purely legal matter.
