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Attack on house of Chaudhary's lawyer

Nirupama Subramanian

Assault adds to sense of uncertainty and security concerns

ISLAMABAD: Attackers fired at the Karachi house of a lawyer defending Pakistan's deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary early on Thursday, two days ahead of a planned visit by the judge to the city.

No one was hurt. Some bullets entered one room of the house, leaving marks on its walls. "There was an armed assault on my house this morning. My daughter narrowly escaped death. A bullet missed her by six inches," said Munir A. Malik, president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, who is in a team of four lawyers defending Mr. Chaudhary from a Government reference against him.

Determined

Mr. Malik said he did not know who was behind the attacks, but believed the attackers wanted to intimidate him. "I am more determined after this attack." On Wednesday, the Karachi Building Control Authority sealed Mr. Malik's office citing a violation of zoning laws but reopened it later in the day on an order by the Sindh High Court.

The incidents have added to the sense of uncertainty and security concerns ahead of a visit by Chief Justice Chaudhary to Karachi on Saturday to address the Sindh High Court Bar Association in connection with the 50th anniversary of the Pakistan Supreme Court.

City lawyers are planning a huge reception for him. They will escort him in procession from the airport to the High Court, making stops at the bar associations en route.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement, an ally of President Pervez Musharraf that considers Karachi as its stronghold, has announced that it will hold its own rally on the same day, raising fears of clashes between the two rival shows. The Sindh Government asked Mr. Chaudhary to postpone his visit in view of the tensions, but Mr. Malik said there would be no change in the programme.

"My Chief Justice is coming here to address the High Court Bar Association. It is the responsibility of the Sindh provincial Government to ensure his safety and to maintain law and order," Mr. Malik said.

Growing stakes

Indicating the growing stakes of the Chief Justice's battle against the Government, Mr. Malik said the struggle was to make the "Supreme Court represent the conscience of the people of Pakistan and not the army".

"I want a Supreme Court that answers to the people of Pakistan, not one that validates the doctrine of necessity," said Mr. Malik, referring to the endorsement by the Supreme Court of military rule.

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