Pakistan agreed today to reinstate a fired Supreme Court chief justice, a move that will help defuse a political crisis that sparked street battles and raised fears of instability in the US-allied country at a time of surging Islamist violence.

THOUSANDS of Pakistani lawyers and other opponents of President Pervez Musharraf embarked on a “long march” aimed at reinstating judges sacked by the embattled US-backed leader.

The focus of Pakistan’s opposition to President Pervez Musharraf returned to the country’s lawyers today.

Pakistani police rearrested a prominent opposition lawyer this morning, despite promises that he would be allowed to remain free for the three-day Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha, his son said.

Police blocked a protest march by former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and hundreds of supporters today.

Pakistan’s military ruler General Pervez Musharraf promised that elections would be held on schedule before January 9th, in a press conference today.

The sacked head of Pakistan’s Supreme Court today called on the country to rise up against President Pervez Musharraf.

Police were today holding up to 1,800 opponents of Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf in a ruthless crackdown following his declaration of emergency rule.

Authorities rounded up opposition activists today after President Pervez Musharraf suspended Pakistan’s constitution and declared a state of emergency.

Hundreds of opponents of Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf jailed since the weekend were ordered to be released today by the country’s chief justice.

Former Pakistani leader Benazir Bhutto said today that power-sharing talks with President General Pervez Musharraf were at a standstill, but that she planned to return to the nation even without a deal.

Senior Pakistani opposition leader Javed Hashmi was released from prison today and received a rapturous welcome from hundreds of chanting, flag-waving supporters, a day after the Supreme Court granted him bail.

Islamabad’s Supreme Court today reinstated Pakistan’s top judge, ruling that his suspension by President Gen. Pervez Musharraf was illegal.

Authorities in Pakistan were today investigating a suicide bombing that killed 16 people before a rally, the latest in a series of violent incidents since the army stormed a mosque held by Islamic extremists.

A suicide bomber killed 12 people at a rally for Pakistan’s suspended chief justice today, police said, ramping up tension in a country already reeling from a burst of violence by Islamic extremists.

A powerful bomb exploded at a rally of lawyers in the Pakistan capital of Islamabad today, killing at least two people and wounding several others, police said.

A POWERFUL cyclone lashed Pakistan’s southern coast on yesterday, killing at least 14 people, leaving dozens more missing and forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes.

Karachi and other major Pakistani cities were hit by a general strike today in protest against violence that has left 41 dead.

THE Pakistani government yesterday authorised paramilitary troops to shoot anyone involved in serious violence in Karachi, where 37 people have been killed over the past two days, an official said.

The political crisis surrounding Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf deepened dramatically today, when gunbattles and clashes between supporters and opponents of the military-led government left 28 people dead in Pakistan’s biggest city.

Gun battles and attacks killed at least 11 people and wounded dozens today as Pakistan’s political crisis descended into violence between rival parties over President Gen. Pervez Musharraf’s suspension of the chief justice.

Police have detained more than 500 activists from opposition political parties ahead of what organisers predict will be the biggest rally yet in support of Pakistan’s ousted chief justice.

Pakistani police separated supporters and opponents of President Gen. Pervez Musharraf as the two sides held rival rallies in Islamabad today during a hearing on a top judge’s contentious suspension.

Thousands of lawyers and flag-waving political activists rallied for the reinstatement of Pakistan’s chief justice as he appeared before a judicial panel investigating whether he abused his office.

Two more Pakistani judges resigned today to protest against President Gen. Pervez Musharraf’s controversial removal of the country’s chief justice.

Lawyers throughout Pakistan boycotted court proceedings, clashed with riot police and burned an image of President Gen Pervez Musharraf today in a protest against the removal of the country’s top judge.

FIJI’S prime minister clashed with the military on the eve of a racially charged election in the unstable South Pacific nation after the armed forces chief urged his troops yesterday not to vote for the government.

THE heaviest rain and snow of the winter so far lashed Pakistan's earthquake-hit areas yesterday, grounding helicopters flying relief supplies and deepening the misery of survivors who huddled around camp fires.

The heaviest rain and snow of the winter so far lashed Pakistan’s earthquake-hit areas today, grounding helicopters flying relief supplies and deepening the misery of survivors who huddled around camp fires to keep warm as temperatures plummeted.

A Pakistani Muslim was jailed for life today for burning a copy of the Koran, an act considered insulting to Islam’s holy book under the country’s blasphemy laws.

Fijian coup leader George Speight was sentenced to death today for treason after leading the May 2000 storming of parliament that plunged the Pacific nation into political turmoil and economic crisis.

Democracy has returned to Fiji's parliament for the first time since armed nationalists stormed its debating chamber 16 months ago.

The caretaker prime minister of Fiji is to be sworn in as the democratically elected prime minister.

Fiji coup leader George Speight won election to the Pacific nation’s Parliament today, 16 months after he overthrew its democratically elected government.

Officials in Fiji were arguing today over where to hold a hearing on treason charges against coup leader George Speight amid concerns it could trigger fresh violence in the South Pacific nation.

An elderly, ailing tribal chief has been sworn in as Fijian President in the latest move to guide the ethnically-divided nation back to democracy.