Pakistan's Musharraf warns opposition amid court crisis (Roundup)

Mar 19, 2007, 20:11 GMT

Islamabad - Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on Monday stood by his decision to suspend the country's top judge and gave a clear warning to opposition forces not to hijack an issue that has sparked violent scenes in recent days.

'Protest is a right, I only hope that people understand they shouldn't go beyond protest,' the president said in a televised interview with the private Geo news channel, which was raided last week by police for its frank coverage of events.

'Don't pressurize the judiciary, don't get involved in political activity,' he said. 'The government will not let you politicize and take political advantage in this very judicial and constitutional case.'

Meanwhile, thousands of lawyers continued protests in Pakistani cities against Musharraf's decision on March 9 to refer Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry to a panel of senior judges over allegations of misuse of office.

The step sparked claims that the move was linked with his past decisions against the government and strong stand on human rights. Chaudry denies any wrongdoing, while international rights and judicial organizations have condemned the actions against him.

'A very senior man is being accused and I must find out,' Musharraf told the channel, saying he was 'duty bound' to initiate proceedings. 'I took the decision on my honest conscience and in the national interest,' he said.

Elections would still be held in Pakistan this year and the army would not be deployed in any state of emergency, the president said amid rumours that drastic measures are planned.

The army general, who came to power in a coup in 1999, said he remained a 'strong believer in democracy.'

Musharraf will this year seek another five-year term in an election held within the current legislature in what the opposition says is an unconstitutional bid to hold on to power.

The standoff assumed new dimensions Friday when police in the capital Islamabad used tear gas and rubber bullets against rock- throwing crowds in the capital and then rampaged in the Geo offices which was relaying live footage of the disturbances from its roof.

Musharraf later condemned the police behaviour and a number of officers were suspended. Chaudhry is due to appear again before a panel of senior judges Wednesday.

The president conceded in the interview that his government had made mistakes in handling the outcry.

The attack on the Geo channel was 'stunning' and was being investigated, he said, describing the raid on the Islamabad office raid as a conspiracy.

In a public address in the town of Pakpattan Saturday, Musharraf also said people were 'doing politics and hatching conspiracies against me and the country on an issue that is legal and constitutional.'

There was no personal grievance against Chaudhry, and protesters and law enforcers should show restraint and not resort to violence, he said.

Court proceedings were again boycotted Monday amid marches and token hunger strikes by lawyers and a spate of resignations, which included the top judge in the central city of Lahore.

More than 7,000 members of the Bar Association also boycotted sessions in the largest city of Karachi, and similar protests with token hunger strikes took place in Quetta, Peshawar and Faisalabad.