Courts must be free
Says sacked Pak judge
Ap, Islamabad
The country's chief justice returned to the Supreme Court Saturday for the first time since being suspended by President Gen Pervez Musharraf, making his way through jubilant crowds before delivering veiled critiques of the military ruler. Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry warned of the dangers of absolute power as thousands of his excited supporters danced in the streets and shouted anti-Musharraf slogans. Addressing a televised, packed seminar on the separation of government powers, Chaudhry, who was suspended two months ago, called judicial independence a "bulwark against abuse of power." "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely," Chaudhry said, slightly misquoting 19th century British historian Lord Acton. "The courts must be independent. Courts should remain free from the pressure of the executive." Musharraf plans to seek another five-year term as president this fall. Political parties who have been sidelined since he seized power in a 1999 coup say the president wanted to get rid of the independent-minded judge in anticipation of legal challenges to his intention of seeking the new term while remaining head of the army. The government denies the move was politically motivated and says the judge had abused his office. Numerous street protests have been held in support of Chaudhry, and a clash broke out between his supporters and a government party that killed 41 people in the southern city of Karachi two weeks ago. Two days after the clashes, Chaudhry challenged his ouster before the Supreme Court, which has yet to make a ruling whether Musharraf's action was valid. It took Chaudhry more than two hours to cover the roughly three miles from his home to the court before his speech Saturday as supporters danced in front of his car and covered it in flower petals. About 8,000 jubilant lawyers and supporters from opposition parties later gathered outside the court building, chanting slogans against Musharraf. "The bloodshed in Karachi will not go to waste! Revolution will come!" several people in the crowd shouted, punching the air with their fists. "Go, Musharraf, go!" chanted others. Large television screens were set up outside the building for those who couldn't squeeze inside. Musharraf and his government insist Chaudhry was suspended only after they received credible complaints that he had abused his office, including allegedly using his position to seek a lucrative police job for his son.
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