ISLAMABAD, 1 June 2007 — The Supreme Court yesterday observed that the president of Pakistan was not exempted from appearing in court. Justice Khalilur Rahman Ramday citing Article 248 of the Constitution said the president under the constitution did not enjoy any such immunity.

Earlier government’s attorney Sharifuddin Pirzada had said that the president could not be summoned by the court because he enjoys immunity under the constitution.

Hamid Khan, a lawyer for the Pakistan Bar Council, said President Gen. Pervez Musharraf did not consult his Cabinet before suspending Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, a move he said was unconstitutional.

Khan’s claim came as more than 2,000 lawyers and opposition activists protested in the eastern city of Lahore, and as a government lawyer filed a petition in the Supreme Court accusing Chaudhry of taking part in a political protest last weekend.

Khan said the decision to refer allegations of abuse of office by Chaudhry to a panel of top judges should have been a “deliberative process,” with the Cabinet giving its opinion to the prime minister, who would then forward it to the president.

“Seventy-seven minds are better than one,” Khan said, referring to the number of ministers sitting in the federal Cabinet.

But Khan, citing media reports, said the Cabinet only discussed the issue on May 19 — more than two months after the case was referred to the Supreme Judicial Council. He described it as a “constitutional error” because “what should have been done prior was done subsequently.”

Ahmed Raza Qasuri, who is pleading the government’s case challenging Chaudhry’s suspension, filed a case in the Supreme Court yesterday trying to stop the chief justice from “political activity” under a constitutional provision that bars judges from involvement in “any public controversy.” Qasuri linked the allegation to Chaudhry’s attendance of a seminar at the Supreme Court on Saturday, when he gave a speech warning against any ruler wielding absolute power.

Thousands of Chaudhry supporters held a rally outside the seminar. Qasuri described it as a “pathetic sight of hooliganism and rowdyism.” In the latest rallies, about 300 lawyers held a sit-in outside the main court complex in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city.

In Lahore, lawyers were joined by flag-carrying activists of opposition parties as they railed against the military leader, shouting, “Our war will continue until the freedom of the judiciary.”

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Durrani told a press conference yesterday,” We will not allow any criticism against the armed forces.”

In another development, the federal government yesterday put the Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Meanwhile, President Musharraf has called a meeting of corps commanders in Rawalpindi today.

Book Launched

A Pakistani analyst launched her book on the military’s penetration of the economy yesterday after she and her publisher said they were forced to change venue at the last minute because of government pressure.

The book by Ayesha Siddiqa, a political analyst and former director of research at the Pakistan Navy, tackles the virtually taboo subject of the military’s huge business empire, which she estimates is worth $10 billion. Siddiqa said she had to cancel the planned launch at the capital’s top private club, the Islamabad Club, and had to scramble to find an alternative venue.

She said that while writing the book, “Military Inc. Inside Pakistan’s Military Economy,” many of her friends had warned her of the sensitive subject.