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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Pakistan lawyer's house shot at | Pakistan lawyer's house shot at |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Unidentified gunmen fired shots early on Thursday morning at the home of a top anti-government lawyer in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi. | Unidentified gunmen fired shots early on Thursday morning at the home of a top anti-government lawyer in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi. |
| Munir A Malik was in his house with his family at the time of the shooting. No one was injured. Police said a number of automatic rounds were fired. | Munir A Malik was in his house with his family at the time of the shooting. No one was injured. Police said a number of automatic rounds were fired. |
| The attack came two days before a rally in the city in support of suspended Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. | The attack came two days before a rally in the city in support of suspended Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. |
| President Musharraf accuses the judge of misuse of office, which he denies. | President Musharraf accuses the judge of misuse of office, which he denies. |
| The decision triggered weeks of nationwide protests by disaffected lawyers and opposition parties. | The decision triggered weeks of nationwide protests by disaffected lawyers and opposition parties. |
| Observers say anger over the judge's suspension poses the biggest challenge to Gen Musharraf's rule since he seized power in 1999. | Observers say anger over the judge's suspension poses the biggest challenge to Gen Musharraf's rule since he seized power in 1999. |
| 'Intimidation' | 'Intimidation' |
| Mr Malik is president of the Supreme Court Bar Association and one of the lawyers leading the campaign to have the chief justice reinstated. | Mr Malik is president of the Supreme Court Bar Association and one of the lawyers leading the campaign to have the chief justice reinstated. |
| It is our constitutional and legal right to hold rallies and we intend to do that peacefully Abul-al-Inam, Bar Association Lawyer wins court ruling Musharraf's few options | It is our constitutional and legal right to hold rallies and we intend to do that peacefully Abul-al-Inam, Bar Association Lawyer wins court ruling Musharraf's few options |
| He says he has had to hire armed guards after receiving threats - it is not clear from whom. | He says he has had to hire armed guards after receiving threats - it is not clear from whom. |
| On Wednesday, a court ruled he could reopen his offices after they were shut by the authorities. | On Wednesday, a court ruled he could reopen his offices after they were shut by the authorities. |
| After Thursday morning's shooting, he said he was being subjected to a campaign of intimidation. | |
| "It will not deter me from representing the chief justice and we will carry on our campaign for the independence of the judiciary," Mr Malik told reporters. | "It will not deter me from representing the chief justice and we will carry on our campaign for the independence of the judiciary," Mr Malik told reporters. |
| The Associated Press news agency quoted a local police official as saying about 15 spent shell casings had been recovered from the scene. | The Associated Press news agency quoted a local police official as saying about 15 spent shell casings had been recovered from the scene. |
| He said the shooting was "apparently an attempt to create harassment" but did not say who police thought might be behind the attack. | He said the shooting was "apparently an attempt to create harassment" but did not say who police thought might be behind the attack. |
| Mr Chaudhry was suspended from his post in March | Mr Chaudhry was suspended from his post in March |
| The authorities in Sindh province, of which Karachi is the capital, condemned the shooting. | The authorities in Sindh province, of which Karachi is the capital, condemned the shooting. |
| "The government will leave no stone unturned to reach to the depth of this incident and the culprits will be brought to book," Sindh government spokesman Salahuddin Haider said. | "The government will leave no stone unturned to reach to the depth of this incident and the culprits will be brought to book," Sindh government spokesman Salahuddin Haider said. |
| Separately, another Karachi lawyer said men posing as plainclothes police had tried to enter his home about an hour after the shots were fired at Mr Malik's house. | Separately, another Karachi lawyer said men posing as plainclothes police had tried to enter his home about an hour after the shots were fired at Mr Malik's house. |
| Akhtar Hussain, the ex-president of the Sindh High Court Association, said the men threatened to break his door down. They left when he called a police help line. | Akhtar Hussain, the ex-president of the Sindh High Court Association, said the men threatened to break his door down. They left when he called a police help line. |
| Other senior lawyers say that they have also been targeted since the campaign against the chief justice's suspension started. | Other senior lawyers say that they have also been targeted since the campaign against the chief justice's suspension started. |
| Karachi address | Karachi address |
| The alleged threats come ahead of a planned 12 May address to be delivered by Mr Chaudhry in Karachi. | The alleged threats come ahead of a planned 12 May address to be delivered by Mr Chaudhry in Karachi. |
| Thousands of lawyers are expected to turn up for his visit. | Thousands of lawyers are expected to turn up for his visit. |
| "We intent to hold a peaceful reception for the chief justice," Abul-al-Inam, a retired high court judge and spokesman for the Bar Association, told the BBC. | "We intent to hold a peaceful reception for the chief justice," Abul-al-Inam, a retired high court judge and spokesman for the Bar Association, told the BBC. |
| He said the provincial authorities had asked them to postpone the 12 May rally, as it might "result in bloodshed". | He said the provincial authorities had asked them to postpone the 12 May rally, as it might "result in bloodshed". |
| "We will not be cowed down by such threats and actions. It is our constitutional and legal right to hold rallies and we intend to do that peacefully," he said. | "We will not be cowed down by such threats and actions. It is our constitutional and legal right to hold rallies and we intend to do that peacefully," he said. |
| Correspondents say tensions are high in Karachi as Sindh's ruling MQM party also plans to hold a rally in support of the president on the same day. | Correspondents say tensions are high in Karachi as Sindh's ruling MQM party also plans to hold a rally in support of the president on the same day. |