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| Pakistan's top judge reinstated | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Pakistan's Supreme Court has ruled that Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry should be reinstated. | |
| Iftikhar Chaudhry was suspended in March on the orders of President Pervez Musharraf, after being accused of misusing his office for personal gain. | |
| Mr Chaudhry has since become the focus of opposition to the president, addressing rallies around the country. | |
| His supporters say the suspension was an attempt to undermine the judiciary's independence in an election year. | |
| The judiciary is here not as rivals, monitors or superiors to any institution Presiding judge Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday Judge 'was illegally held' Timeline: Legal crisis | |
| On Tuesday, a bomb attack on a rally of Chaudhry supporters killed 15 people. | |
| Mr Chaudhry was due to attend the rally, in the capital, Islamabad. It remains unclear who carried out the attack or who the intended target might have been. | Mr Chaudhry was due to attend the rally, in the capital, Islamabad. It remains unclear who carried out the attack or who the intended target might have been. |
| Gen Musharraf has strongly condemned the "terrorist attack" and called for calm. | Gen Musharraf has strongly condemned the "terrorist attack" and called for calm. |
| The judicial crisis, however, has been overshadowed by a recent siege of Islamabad's radical Red Mosque and a spate of bombings that have killed scores of people. | The judicial crisis, however, has been overshadowed by a recent siege of Islamabad's radical Red Mosque and a spate of bombings that have killed scores of people. |
| More than 40 people were killed in three separate bomb attacks on Thursday, officials say. | More than 40 people were killed in three separate bomb attacks on Thursday, officials say. |
| On Friday, three civilians and one soldier were killed in a suicide attack in North Waziristan, a security official said. | On Friday, three civilians and one soldier were killed in a suicide attack in North Waziristan, a security official said. |
| Accusations | Accusations |
| Lawyers representing Mr Chaudhry completed the presentation of their case on Friday. | |
| A controversial figure, Chaudhry has considerable support | A controversial figure, Chaudhry has considerable support |
| They demanded that he not only be reinstated as chief justice, but that all charges against him be dropped. | |
| Mr Chaudhry had appealed against Gen Musharraf's decision to suspend him and have a judicial panel investigate him for the alleged abuse of office. | |
| The court had to decide whether Gen Musharraf over-reached his powers and whether the charges against the chief judge should be pursued further. | |
| Government officials say that several people have filed complaints with the president accusing Mr Chaudhry of misusing his office and receiving favours. In particular, he is alleged to have procured a top police job for his son. | |
| The government says the case has no political motive. | The government says the case has no political motive. |
| But critics say that concerns about corruption in high places are not an issue with the present government. | But critics say that concerns about corruption in high places are not an issue with the present government. |
| They point out that there are more serious charges - such as financial embezzlement and property fraud - against other top judges. | They point out that there are more serious charges - such as financial embezzlement and property fraud - against other top judges. |
| They accuse the president of plotting to remove an independent-minded judge to forestall legal challenges to his plan to ask parliament for another five-year term in office. | |
| High stakes | High stakes |
| Mr Chaudhry's suspension in March triggered mass protests. | |
| The row is seen by some as Gen Musharraf's biggest challenge | The row is seen by some as Gen Musharraf's biggest challenge |
| He has become a highly controversial figure in recent months as he has toured the country calling for an end to political interference in the judiciary. | |
| Although he has not directly criticised President Musharraf, his campaign road show has definitely taken on the feel of a political campaign, the BBC's Dan Isaacs in Islamabad says. | Although he has not directly criticised President Musharraf, his campaign road show has definitely taken on the feel of a political campaign, the BBC's Dan Isaacs in Islamabad says. |
| The legal issues are highly complex, our correspondent says, but what is at stake is fundamental - will Gen Musharraf be able to stay on as army chief as well as president, and will his re-election be decided by the current or next parliament? | The legal issues are highly complex, our correspondent says, but what is at stake is fundamental - will Gen Musharraf be able to stay on as army chief as well as president, and will his re-election be decided by the current or next parliament? |
| Many people expect there to be a compromise allowing the chief justice to remain in office but barring him from making any decisions which concern Gen Musharraf's political future, our correspondent says. | Many people expect there to be a compromise allowing the chief justice to remain in office but barring him from making any decisions which concern Gen Musharraf's political future, our correspondent says. |