President Musharraf asks lawyers not to give 'political twist' to judge issue

ISLAMABAD: Amidst criticism of government's failure to stem violence in Karachi that left 36 people dead, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said the clashes were the fallout of "politicising" the issue of suspension of Chief Justice Iftikhar M Chaudhry and urged lawyers to let the Supreme Court decide on it.

Addressing a mammoth public rally in front of Parliament here last night, Musharraf said he held the judiciary in high esteem and would accept the verdict of the apex court on the suspension of Chaudhry.

"The lawyers should not give the matter a political twist. Stop this protest and reject those who are politicising the issue," he said and asked the lawyers community to let the courts resolve it legally with complete freedom.

"If they (lawyers) were equally hurt by the incidents in Karachi and the loss of life and property, they should stop the protests.

"My heart bled at the site of happenings in Karachi it was horrible to see the sufferings of the people this is no way of seeking freedom for the judiciary... stop politicising and let the judiciary do justice," Musharraf told the rally organised by the ruling coalition to counter Chaudhry's visit to Karachi on Saturday to address a lawyers' convention.

He also briefly spoke about his plans to get re-elected as President followed by the general elections later this year which he promised to hold in a free and fair manner and according to the Constitution and rules.

Musharraf appealed to people to vote for the moderate forces backed by him. "If you want the continuity of policies, vote for the people who are with me."

It was for the first time in the country's history that the assemblies would be completing their tenure, Musharraf said, adding his re-election as President later this year would follow the general elections.

Reports from Karachi on Sunday said the city limped back to normalcy after violent clashes left 36 people dead and over 150 injured.

Opposition parties observed a 'Black Day' on Sunday to protest against the government's failure to prevent violence in Karachi while MQM, which on Saturday organised a rally in the southern port city to counter Chaudhry's lawyers' convention, observed it as a day of mourning.

Both PPP of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and MQM claimed that majority of the dead were their party men.

Chaudhry returned to Islamabad late last night after the government expelled his defence lawyers as well as human rights activist Asma Jahangir from Karachi.

While the advocates left early, Chaudhry gave up plans to walk to the convention of lawyers and instead returned to Islamabad by a late night flight.

He was given a rousing welcome by lawyers and opposition activists at the airport here on his arrival from Karachi.

Police had to escort the judge's convey through a lengthy detour to avoid contact with Musharraf's rally.

The government came in for strong criticism from the media as police were nowhere to be seen when a news channel 'Aaj TV' was sprayed with bullets on Saturday.

In his address to the rally, Musharraf condemned the attack on the channel and said he would not declare emergency as massive participation of people in his meeting showed that the masses were with him.

The President noted that the Supreme Court has constituted a full bench to decide on Chaudhry's petition challenging his suspension and said its decision should be accepted by all, including the government, lawyers and people.

The General claimed he believed in freedom of judiciary and indirectly referred to the attack on Supreme Court during the Nawaz Sharif regime. "We are not like those who had gate-crashed into the Supreme Court ... we have given the judiciary a high stature and that is what we are striving for."

If the literate people like lawyers are acting in this way, what will be the reaction of the illiterate? he asked.

He said people had reposed their full confidence in his government and those who were trying to create unrest in the country should understand who has the support of the masses.

Musharraf said the government had warned that Chaudhry's visit to Karachi might create law and order problem. However, he said some so called legal advisers of the judge, who had "negative intentions," were hell bent on the visit.

"Those with negative intentions should deal political matters politically and not otherwise," he said, without directly referring to Chaudhry's defence lawyer Aitejaz Ahesan, also a PPP MP.

Backing MQM's rally in Karachi, he said the people showed their power in Karachi, but some tried to create unrest by reacting to it, causing loss of life and property.

Musharraf said certain groups were trying to pressurise the judiciary and were in fact opposed to its supremacy and had vested interests.

He termed his rally in Islamabad as historic. "I have never ever seen such a mammoth gathering here in front of the seat of the government" and "no one should have any doubt as to who has the support of the masses."

"There is no need of emergency, as hundreds of thousands of people who are gathered here are with me."