Musharraf honours Pak SC verdict

July 21: Pakistan president has accepted the decision of the Supreme Court to retain the suspended Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary of Pakistan Supreme Court on his post with honour who had been sacked on March this year by the Pak president General Pervez Musharraf on the basis of allegedly misusing his post and receiving favours to secure a top police job for his son.

Maj. General Rashid Quereshi, the army deputy chief and spokesperson of Musharraf quoted to a state-run news agency, “The President respects the decision of the Supreme Court. He has stated earlier that any judgement the Supreme Court arrives at will be honoured, respected and adhered to”.

According to Pak analysts, this decision may be a cause of deducting the power of President, who had overreached his power and having a future plan to sustain his position for the top job since next five years despite of being the top officer of the army simultaneously. Now, this decision has defied the general and empowered the leaders of opposition includes Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif who are eying to confront the Musharraf backed government in the next election that may be till the end of this year if General keeps his promise to organise it.

However, this judgement is definitely registered in the Pak history, where the judiciary has been often blamed for playing a second fiddle to the military.

Earlier, the lawyers across Pakistan busted into tears and cried in happiness as the decision is sentenced by the 13-member full court bench appointed by the acting Chief Justice Rana Bhagwat Das. The popularity of Iftikhar has been growing rapidly since his dismissal while Musharraf has been loosing his charm among the general public because of this act and all the action taken by president includes Lal Masjid battle.

According to U.S. intelligence latest report, “ Pakistan's policy of non-engagement in the lawless tribal areas along its border with Afghanistan has been a complete failure and allows al-Qaeda to regroup.” On the other hand U S President is already under pressure to ensure that Musharraf keeps his promise of calling for free elections at the end of the year.