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Friday, Nov 02, 2007
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We will not be intimidated: Pakistan Supreme Court

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Supreme Court said on Thursday that it would not be intimidated by threats of martial law when it ruled on whether to validate President General Pervez Musharraf’s recent election victory.

General Musharraf, who seized power in a 1999 coup, swept an October 6 Presidential vote by lawmakers. However, the court ruled that the result would not be final until it decided whether he was eligible to contest the vote in the first place while still Army chief.

General Musharraf has said that if he wins, he will quit the Army before his new presidential term begins.

Aitzaz Ahsan, a lawyer for one of General Musharraf’s election opponents, told the court that government officials had reportedly said General Musharraf might impose martial law or a state of emergency if the court ruled against him. However, the head of the 11-judge panel hearing the case bristled at the suggestion.

“No threat will have any effect on this Bench, whether it is martial law or [state of] emergency,” said judge Javed Iqbal. “Whatever will happen, it will be according to the Constitution and rules ... No group should think that it can take the Supreme Court hostage.” The hearing was adjourned and was likely to resume on November 12, Mr. Iqbal said.

The court has emerged as the main check on General Musharraf’s dominance since he tried and failed to fire Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhary over alleged abuse of authority.

The court declared Mr. Chaudhary’s suspension illegal and reinstated him.

Also on Thursday, the court handed down a 15-day suspended jail sentence to the former Islamabad police chief and his deputy for manhandling Mr. Chaudhary on March 13 as he went to a court hearing to contest his suspension by General Musharraf.

In a separate hearing, Mr. Chaudhary ordered top government officials to file a “comprehensive report” on the October 18 bombing that targeted ex-Premier Benazir Bhutto’s homecoming in Karachi, expressing impatience with an investigation that has yet to identify the culprits or their motive. The attack killed 145 people.

In a surprise move, Ms. Bhutto left for Dubai on Thursday to meet her family, hours after announcing that she was postponing the visit as she feared the government could impose a state of emergency in her absence.

Ms. Bhutto has said that she would return to Pakistan on November 8 and address a public meeting scheduled to be held in Rawalpindi the next day. — AP, PTI

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