Anti-Musharraf protesters rally across Pakistan

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.

About 4,000 gathered near the Supreme Court in Islamabad, deriding President Gen. Pervez Musharraf for suspending Ifitkhar Mohammed Chaudhry as the court’s top judge three weeks ago.

Some scuffled with police but the protests were largely peaceful.

“Musharraf, killer of justice,” protesters chanted. Thousands more lawyers rallied in Lahore and Karachi.

Mr Chaudhry’s suspension has provoked a series of demonstrations across Pakistan and Musharraf’s worst political crisis since he seized power nearly eight years ago.

The government insists it acted constitutionally in suspending Mr Chaudhry, who denies any wrongdoing. A panel of three judges is examining whether he abused his position by securing unwarranted privileges and bullying officials to give his son a police job.

However, critics of Mr Musharraf, who seized power in a coup in 1999, accuse him of seeking to tame the court to ensure it doesn’t stand in the way of his continued rule.

During the last hearing against Mr Chaudhry on March 16, riot police fought with stone-throwing demonstrators and stormed the studio of the Geo television channel that was broadcasting footage of the unrest. Mr Musharraf apologised in person to the TV station, but failed to silence accusations of authoritarianism.

Information Minister Mohammed Ali Durrani said today’s demonstration was permitted.

“Everyone is allowed to express their views, but it should be peaceful,” he said.

Hundreds of police and paramilitary troops were positioned near the court, where concrete blocks and coils of barbed wire closed approach roads to traffic. Police scuffled briefly with demonstrators who tried to follow Chaudhry’s car into the court complex.

Mr Musharraf is expected to seek re-election as president from the outgoing legislature, a move the opposition could challenge in the Supreme Court, especially if he refuses to give up his post as army chief.