September 6, 2007
Pakistani Lawyers Launch Campaign
to Oust Musharraf
Islamabad
Spurred by their successful campaign to get the Chief Justice back
to his office, Pakistani lawyers Thursday launched a countrywide
agitation to restore democracy and oust President Pervez Musharraf.
"Our struggle is for peoples' rights - we want pure civilian rule in
the country. It's not against the army, it's not against any one
person but against the military's political role. We want a complete
and independent civilian set up in the country," chief of the
Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Munir A. Malik told IANS.
Wearing black armbands, the lawyers observed a brief boycott of
court proceedings over Musharraf's plans to get himself re-elected
for five more years. They gathered outside the Supreme Court
building, sandwiched between the Prime Minister's Secretariat and
the Parliament, and chanted their stock slogan "Go Musharraf, Go".
The lawyers had earlier proved their strength by holding a
successful series of rallies for the reinstatement of suspended
Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, who had been suspended by President
Musharraf and his case referred to the Supreme Judicial Council.
However, the lawyers led by Malik launched a public campaign and
filed a counter case in the Supreme Court for restoration of the
Chief Justice, which they won.
Demonstrations were held Thursday in several cities and towns across
the country. The lawyers' action comes as Musharraf fights for his
political survival amid a possible deal with former prime minister
Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party.
While a deal with Bhutto is opposed by many members of her liberal
Pakistan People's Party, the former prime minister says it would be
a step towards restoration of civilian democracy as the president
would be required under its terms to step down as army chief.
The lawyers' agitation to oust Musharraf comes on a day the Supreme
Court was told that his term as president would expire on Nov 15 and
that he would remain in uniform till a new army chief was appointed
to replace him.
Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada, Counsel for President Musharraf, provided
this information in a written statement to the apex court a day
after he was asked when the president's term would expire.
The lawyers reject all deal talks and are calling for a broad
political movement to drive Musharraf from power whether he retains
his military status or not.
"We have urged political parties to ensure that their members resign
from parliament before Sep 15 to block the presidential elections,
and to join us in our movement for the revival of democracy," Malik
said.
Musharraf faces a threat from extremists following the raid he
ordered in July on a mosque in the heart of Islamabad in which more
than 250 people were killed. The students of the religious school
adjacent to the Lal Masjid were demanding implementation of Islamic
laws in the country.
On Tuesday, suspected insurgents from the tribal areas bordering
Afghanistan targeted military intelligence officials close to the
president's army residence, killing 30 people and injuring more than
60.
The military ruler's authority had been largely unchallenged till
March when he tried to remove Chief Justice Chaudhry over his
"misconduct".
The step, widely seen as an attempt to neutralise a possible threat
to his re-election plans by the independent-minded judge, triggered
a national resistance movement by lawyers, opposition forces and
rights groups.
The challenges to President Musharraf grew when the reinstated chief
justice said last month that former prime minister and opposition
leader Nawaz Sharif could return home from exile.
Sharif plans to arrive on Sep 10 and has pledged to lead the
opposition to Musharraf's bid to secure another term from national
and provincial assemblies between Sep 15 and Oct 15.
Musharraf seized power by overthrowing the elected government of
Nawaz Sharif in October 1999.
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