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Chief Justice challenges panel

Nirupama Subramanian

Musharraf expresses faith in judiciary

ISLAMABAD: In his first public remarks on the controversial issue of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary nearly a week after ousting him from office, President Pervez Musharraf said on Thursday he had full faith in the ability of the Supreme Judicial Council to do justice in the case, and that he would not interfere in the case.

When the ousted Chief Justice appeared before the Supreme Judicial Council on Tuesday, he challenged the composition of the five-judge panel that will make a decision on the presidential reference against him, and expressed his lack of confidence in it.

In-camera hearing

He is to appear before the in-camera panel again on Friday, a day that lawyers and Opposition parties plan to mark with more country-wide protests.

Addressing a public meeting in Gujranwala town in the Punjab hinterland, Gen. Musharraf said the judicial panel would do full justice in the matter that is now before them, and that no one had the right to interfere in its functioning. "Even I don't have the right to interfere. Whatever decision they take, I will accept," he said.

The President has come in for sharp criticism from lawyers, Opposition parties, civil society and the media for his action against the Chief Justice, which they have described as an "attack on the independence of the judiciary."

But Gen. Musharraf said that it was because of his respect for the judiciary that he sent a reference to the Supreme Judicial Council to decide on the charges against the Chief Justice. Gen. Musharraf said he would go on national television to announce the decision of the council.

Certain politicians were trying to exploit the situation, and they would be "exposed" soon, the President said.

The Supreme Judicial Council has ordered that Mr. Chaudhary be given access to his defence counsel after his lawyers complained that they were not being allowed to meet him.

It appears that Mr. Chaudhary's de facto "house arrest" has not entirely ended. The police ring around his house continues. Many visitors, including his daughter's friends, were turned away, even though two Senators from Balochistan were permitted to meet him.

Massive security arrangements are being made in the capital to ensure that the high drama and protests outside the Supreme Court that accompanied Mr. Chaudhary's first appearance before the panel, are not repeated on Friday.

Rights panel's concern

In a statement, Human Rights Watch said the Government should not block or use violence against peaceful demonstrators protesting the removal of the Chief Justice.

The Human Rights Watch said the Government had diverted thousands of additional security personnel to Islamabad and has put the capital under "high alert."

Scores of Opposition supporters had been arbitrarily detained, and hundreds of lawyers had been charged under various provisions of the criminal code for protests since March 13.

"Musharraf's Government should end this Constitutional crisis by halting the illegal actions against the Chief Justice that have led to these protests," it said.

"Trumped-up charges against lawyers must be dropped, demonstrators arbitrarily detained must be released, and peaceful protest must be allowed," it added.

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