Pakistan police brace for anti-Musharraf rallies

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security forces braced for an Islamist-led protest here on Friday amid snowballing international controversy sparked by President Pervez Musharraf's sacking of the country's top judge.

Suspended chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry faces charges of misconduct and abuse of power brought against him by the military ruler, a move that has provoked a reaction from the president's close ally the United States.

New protests were expected on Friday in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, as Chaudhry was due to appear for a second time in four days before a judicial accountability council at the Supreme Court, who are ruling on the case.

The police have now banned any assembly of more than five people in a public place.

"We have called in an additional 1,000 police for deployment in the capital to maintain law and order," to reinforce 3,000 already on duty in the city, a senior interior ministry official said.

Opposition leaders allege Musharraf's move was aimed at intimidating the judiciary before they hear key issues, including his planned re-election by the present parliament and his dual position as president and army chief, later this year.

They vowed to defy the ban.

"We will carry the holy book in our hands and assemble outside the Supreme Court building to offer Friday prayers and register our protest over action against the justice," Shahid Shamsi, a spokesman for Pakistan's main alliance of Islamic parties, said.

He said the government would be responsible for any trouble if it tried to keep the political leaders and workers from demonstrating.