"ALL CAPS IN DEFENSE OF LIBERTY IS NO VICE."

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

ANTI-MUSHARRAF FACTIONS PROMISE DEFIANCE

NYTIMES:
In a telephone address to protesting lawyers in Pakistan’s capital, the country’s ousted chief justice urged lawyers today to continue to defy the state of emergency imposed by the president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf. In the second day of protests, clashes broke out between hundreds of lawyers and Pakistani police in the eastern city of Multan.

“The constitution has been ripped to shreds,” the Chief Justice, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, told dozens of lawyers before his cellular phone line was cut. “I am under arrest now, but soon I will also join you in your struggle.”

It was unclear how Mr. Chaudhry, who is under house arrest, was able to gain access to a telephone. He and other lawyers said they hoped to recreate the protest campaign they carried out this spring when the lawyers mounted big rallies in major cities after General Musharraf removed Mr. Chaudhry from the Supreme Court bench. He was reinstated after four months.

But government officials showed no signs of yielding to the protesters today.
Er, um... did this Judge guy or his faction ever speak out this forcefully against jihadism?

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