Retired judge to challenge Musharraf
Islamabad (AsiaNews) – A retired judge, Wajeehuddin Ahmed, will run in the October 9 presidential elections against outgoing President Pervez Musharraf. Another ex judge, Tarig Mehmood, made the announcement yesterday, adding that he would also challenge Musharraf’s candidacy before the Election Commission, which is set to vet applications and determine candidates’ eligibility two days from now.
Ahmed, a Sindh native, is backed by many of his fellow lawyers, who have strongly opposed Musharraf’s rule for some time. They spearheaded a protest movement, beginning March 9, when the president suspended Supreme Court Judge Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudry from his post over alleged misconduct.
Chaudry was eventually cleared of all the charges by the Supreme Court itself last Thursday. But members of the legal profession have continued their attacks against the “dictator” Musharraf, calling for a return to democracy.
Qazi Hussain Ahmed from the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), a six-religious party alliance, praised the judge for his “courageous” decision.
Similarly, journalist Hamad Mir said that lawyers are independent of political parties.
But other experts view Mr Ahmed’s candidacy as “weak.”
Musharraf will be the candidate of the Muslim League-Q and its allies. But his adversaries continue to challenge his right to run arguing that holding the presidency is incompatible with being the army chief, an issue on which that the Supreme Court will rule tomorrow.
Meanwhile protests continue. Yesterday more than 20 people were arrested demonstrating before the Supreme Court Building.
Since last Friday many opposition leaders have been arrested “to preserve public order” and “prevent protests,” but there is great uncertainty over the detainees, whose number could be anywhere between 4 and 35.
In an unusual incident Khurshid Ahmed, an a senior lawyer from Peshawar, sprayed black colour on the face of MP Ahmed Raza Qussury, who backs Musharraf.
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03/10/2007
