ISLAMABAD, 25 September 2007 — Police arrested dozens of stone-throwing protesters outside the Pakistan Supreme Court yesterday amid a growing crackdown described by key ally the United States as “extremely disturbing.”
Meanwhile, a retired judge who opted to resign rather than swear allegiance to President Gen. Pervez Musharraf following his 1999 coup announced that he would stand against Musharraf in presidential elections due on Oct. 6.
Former Supreme Court Justice Wajihuddin Ahmad, 67, said he would stand in the poll after being nominated by lawyers, who have opposed Musharraf since he tried to sack the country’s chief justice in March.
None of the major political parties have fielded a candidate.
An alliance of pro-democracy parties has vowed to block military ruler Musharraf from securing another five-year term in the poll, which will be conducted by the outgoing national and provincial assemblies.
Scores of flag-waving opposition demonstrators in Islamabad hurled stones at police who tried to stop them reaching the court and shouted slogans including “America’s friends are traitors” and “Go, Musharraf, go!” Police on horseback charged at the protesters to disperse them after a series of clashes. Officers wearing helmets and carrying shields and batons dragged at least three dozen of them into vans.
Police arrested several opposition leaders at the weekend, including Javed Hashmi, the acting chief of the party of exiled former Premier Nawaz Sharif, as well as the head of a hard-line Islamic party. The US Embassy in Islamabad issued a rare statement yesterday calling for the release of all those arrested. Washington is normally sparing in its criticism of Pakistan, regarded as vital for the “war on terror.”
“The reports of arrests of the leadership of several major Pakistani political parties are extremely disturbing and confusing for the friends of Pakistan,” the embassy statement said. The European Union also expressed concern and urged the government to follow legal processes.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said 42 people had been arrested as of Sunday but said the detentions were “just preventative action.” “When opposition parties say they will surround the Supreme Court and Election Commission and burn nomination papers, the government must take action to maintain law and order,” he said.
The Supreme Court yesterday resumed hearing a string of petitions filed by the All Parties Democracy Movement (APDM), the opposition alliance that is behind the anti-Musharraf protest campaign and whose members are being arrested.
The appeals argue that Musharraf is ineligible to stand in the poll, that his dual role as president and army chief is illegal and that he should be chosen by a new Parliament that is due to be elected by early 2008. The court yesterday dismissed two minor petitions filed by members of the public but is expected to rule on the opposition legal challenges today or, more likely, tomorrow.
One of the judges, Justice Javed Iqbal, said, “It was not the court but the Parliament which extended vast powers to the president.” Attorney General Malik Qayyum and prime minister’s adviser Sharifuddin Pirzada are representing the president while Akram Shaikh, Engineer Jamil and A.K. Dogar are representing petitioners Qazi Hussain Ahmad, head of the Jamaat-e-Islami, Imran Khan, chief of Tehrike Insaf, Communist Party of Pakistan and the Lawyers’ Forum.
Earlier, Justice Iqbal said, “It was the MMA which violated the constitution by passing the 17th Constitutional Amendment which enabled Musharraf to remain in uniform up to December 2004. After the military takeover the Supreme Court had given only three years to President Musharraf to restore democracy and the supremacy of Parliament. But it was the Parliament which provided the crutches to the president to hold dual offices.” The court was adjourned until today.
Analysts say that if the court bars Musharraf from taking part in the elections he could dissolve the Parliament or even declare a state of emergency or martial law.
In a dramatic start to yesterday’s proceedings, an anti-Musharraf advocate sprayed black ink in the face of a senior government lawyer, sparking angry scenes, television footage showed.
Later it emerged that Musharraf now faces his first challenger for the presidency — albeit one who has almost no chance of winning, thanks to the fact that Musharraf has a majority in Parliament.
Musharraf has vowed to quit the army by Nov. 15 if he is elected, but his opponents say he should hang up his uniform first.
— With input from agencies
