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Pressure on Musharraf

Talk of a new Justice Party in Pakistan led by "non-functional" Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary may be idle chatter. What is undisputable is the emergence of Mr. Chaudhary as a national hero for fighting back when asked to quit by President Pervez Musharraf. It is a commentary on the pent-up frustration from the years of direct and indirect military rule that a single act of defiance against the uniform by a functionary of the state can galvanise an entire nation. The extraordinary reception that he got in Lahore last weekend showed how much Pakistan has changed since the March 9 presidential reference against the Chief Justice. The agitation for its withdrawal, spearheaded by the legal community, has revived the political instrument of street protests, long forgotten in Pakistan. It has weakened General Musharraf to an extent that his planned re-election from the sitting parliament in its final weeks no longer looks easy. For the first time, the Opposition sees a glimmer of better prospects.

The government accuses the deposed Chief Justice and the Opposition of "politicising" what it describes as a constitutional and judicial matter. But the larger questions involved, such as the freedom of the judiciary, the supremacy of the Constitution, and the rule of law, are deeply political issues, especially in an election year. The government has only itself to blame for not reading the public mood correctly. The agitation has yet to attain critical mass, partly because it lacks a discernible political leadership. The two main opposition leaders, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, are stuck abroad in self-exile. Moreover, Ms. Bhutto, who leads the Pakistan People's Party, has indicated willingness to do a "deal" with President Musharraf. Those — including the United States — who fear that the present agitation could be hijacked by anti-Musharraf Islamist extremists are pushing for this, but at a time of high popular sentiment against the military, it is a politically risky proposition for Ms. Bhutto. Rattled by the widening protests, the government has floated the emergency option. Only a leadership as akratic as Nepal's King Gyanendra can be considering such a step seriously. The legal community has notched up an early victory with the Supreme Court staying the hearings of the reference against the Chief Justice while it takes up his petition challenging the government's action. The government too gets a respite as the lawyers have called off their agitation for now. But Pakistan continues to be in a state of high political flux. It is vital that India reads the signals correctly and keeps open avenues to all the players.

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