Islamabad, Nov 11 (IANS) Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf Sunday justified the sacking of the country’s chief justice, accusing Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry of interfering in the Supreme Court’s functioning.
“Somebody asked me whether I did right or wrong (in removing Chaudhry as chief justice after the declaration of emergency),” Musharraf told reporters here, and went on to answer the question himself.
“I had no personal problems with the chief justice,” he said. “He has come to my house repeatedly, he has come to my office several times.”
The president went on to level a string of allegations against Chaudhry, whose original sacking in March led to nationwide street protests that forced the government to reinstate him, giving the first big jolt to Musharraf.
“But he would refuse to accept judges nominated by the government,” a seemingly stern Musharraf maintained.
“He would reject the names given by (the government). As a result, the tussle always remained between the judiciary and the executive… there was illegal interference by the court.
“There was harassment of civil servants for minor protocol lapses…(like) if somebody had not received him somewhere… There were innumerable suo moto cases where (police officers and bureaucrats) were faulted.”
Accusing Chaudhry of “trying to gain cheap popularity”, Musharraf also spoke of corruption charges against the sacked judge.
“On the personal side, may I say there are corruption (charges that are documented)… (There are unjustified) fuel bills. He would order the best vehicle for himself, he wanted an escort for himself, he humiliated senior officials.
“I would like to ask: anywhere in the world, what should be done if there are these accusations and they are known to be correct? What should be done to that person?
“What would you do to a chief justice if these were such accusations against him? Is he above the law? Should we not do anything?
“I did what exactly what I was legally and constitutionally allowed to. I did not violate the constitution and the law of the land. I only tried to correct it.”
Chaudhry along with the entire 19-member Supreme Court bench was sacked after he refused to take oath under the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) that was promulgated along with the emergency Nov 3.
Chaudhry and several judges are currently under house arrest.