Saturday, 12 May 2007
Timeline: Pakistan legal crisis
Pakistan's Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has become a focus for political opposition to the government of Pervez Musharraf, since he was suspended by the president in March. The BBC News website looks at the events surrounding the crisis.
4 February 2000: Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, then 52, is appointed to Pakistan's Supreme Court. He gains a reputation for independence over his investigations into the highly sensitive issue of the disappearance of political activists allegedly detained illegally by the security forces.
30 June 2005: Mr Chaudhry is appointed chief justice, makes a speech talking of a "serious crisis of confidence between the people and the judiciary".
9 March 2007: President Pervez Musharraf suspends Mr Chaudhry for "misuse of authority", the details of which remain unspecified.
12 March: Lawyers begin boycott of court cases in support of Mr Chaudhry, which lasts for several days.
13 March: Mr Chaudhry appears before a closed hearing of senior judges to answer allegations against him.
16 March: Violence breaks out at Islamabad rally in support of Mr Chaudhry.
27 March: President Musharraf tells rally in Rawalpindi that no one will be allowed to politically exploit Mr Chaudhry's suspension.
28 March: Mr Chaudhry makes first public speech since his suspension, saying that "Pakistan needs an independent judiciary and respect for the rule of law".
3 April: Mr Chaudhry appears before private session of the supreme court, and makes a call for the closed hearing to be made public.
18 April: Mr Chaudhry launches a challenge to the composition of the judicial body hearing allegations against him.
6 May: At a rally in Lahore, the largest so far in his support, Mr Chaudhry attacks "states which are based on dictatorship". His supporters allege that hundreds are detained by police to prevent them joining the protest.
12 May: Pro-government activists clash with opposition supporters, leading to violence as Mr Chaudhry flies Karachi, intending to address a rally.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6649463.stm