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Lawyers protest against Musharraf Lawyers protest against Musharraf
(10 minutes later)
Lawyers have boycotted courts across Pakistan in protest at President Musharraf's suspension of the country's top judge for alleged misuse of office.Lawyers have boycotted courts across Pakistan in protest at President Musharraf's suspension of the country's top judge for alleged misuse of office.
The Bar Association held rallies in a number of cities. There were angry scuffles in Lahore when police stopped lawyers marching near the High Court. In Lahore, there were angry scuffles when police stopped lawyers marching near the High Court. Hundreds of lawyers rallied in other cities.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry was suspended on Friday. They say the removal of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry is unlawful.
He is a controversial figure noted for taking a firm line on government misdeeds and human rights abuses. The judge is a controversial figure noted for his firm line on government misdeeds and human rights abuses.
Justice Chaudhry took up investigations into the highly sensitive issue of the disappearance of political activists allegedly detained illegally by the security forces.Justice Chaudhry took up investigations into the highly sensitive issue of the disappearance of political activists allegedly detained illegally by the security forces.
The details of his alleged offences are not yet clear.The details of his alleged offences are not yet clear.
Chaudhry: Chief justice since 2005Chaudhry: Chief justice since 2005
President Musharraf had received "numerous complaints and serious allegations for misconduct, misuse of authority and actions prejudicial to the dignity of office of the chief justice of Pakistan," the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan news agency reported on Friday.President Musharraf had received "numerous complaints and serious allegations for misconduct, misuse of authority and actions prejudicial to the dignity of office of the chief justice of Pakistan," the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan news agency reported on Friday.
The president of the Supreme Court Bar Association said he had been told by Mr Chaudhry that he would defend himself and would not step down.The president of the Supreme Court Bar Association said he had been told by Mr Chaudhry that he would defend himself and would not step down.
In Pakistan police have clashed with thousands of lawyers protesting against the suspension of the country's chief justice. Some two dozen demonstrators were injured when police beat them with batons in the eastern city of Lahore. Lawyers are observing a nationwide strike, triggered by the president's decision last week to remove the country's top judge for misuse of authority. Barbara Plett reports from Islamabad:)
Witnesses said the demonstration was one of the largest ever by high court lawyers in Lahore. They were marching down a main road when police used batons to try and break up the procession. More than twenty lawyers were injured although none of the injuries appeared life threatening. But the clash reflected growing tension in the country since President General Pervez Musharraf suspended the chief justice on Friday. The president said there had been serious allegations of misconduct against the top judge, Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhary, and referred his case to a judicial panel. But lawyers, opposition parties, human rights activists and some judges have condemned the move as unconstitutional and a blow to the independence of the judiciary. The chief justice had an abrasive style and had earlier been publicly criticised by a lawyer for abusing his authority. But many in the legal community believe Iftikhar Chaudhary was dismissed because he took up cases unpopular with the government. Chief among these was a petition to recover missing persons, allegedly abducted by intelligence agencies; and he overturned the recent sale of Pakistan's state-run steel mills. A senior legal source also accused the president of trying to intimidate the judiciary in an election year.