Sacked Pakistan judges fear repeat performance

ISLAMABAD, (Reuters) – Pakistan’s Supreme Court yesterday warned the government against firing assertive judges  amid fears of a repeat of a crisis that helped bring down  former military President Pervez Musharraf.

Television channels on Thursday said the government of  President Asif Ali Zardari was planning to dismiss judges  hearing an appeal against overturning a law that gave amnesty  to him, several of his key aides and politicians of corruption  charges.

Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani denied the media reports  but the court summoned the attorney-general to explain the  government’s position, saying similar rumours were spread when  Musharraf sacked them in 2007.

“Any step (to sack judges) would be tantamount to the  toppling of an important pillar of state and subverting the  constitution,” Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry said, citing  constitutional provisions which describe such moves as “high  treason”.

The sacking of Chaudhry and scores of senior judges by  Musharraf in 2007 triggered political turmoil in Pakistan that  eventually led to the end of his nine-year rule a year later.

Zardari reluctantly agreed to reinstate the judges last  year after former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif led thousands of  protesters to Islamabad to press for their restoration.

Critics say Zardari’s reluctance stemmed from fears that  Chaudhry would revive corruption charges against him and his  aides.

Speculation has been rife in Pakistan for weeks that the  Supreme Court might reject a government appeal against  overturning the amnesty law that critics say could spark a new  political crisis in the south Asian nation critical for U.S.  efforts to stabilise Afghanistan.

Zardari’s supporters say he cannot be prosecuted because of  presidential immunity, even if the government’s appeal is  rejected.

Zardari has been under pressure on several fronts. Failure  to deliver aid and compensation to millions of Pakistanis made  homeless by the floods could lead to social unrest, especially  as winter sets in.