Word: musharraf
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...because of a perception that he took a progovernment stance on revenue cases, he was known as an abrasive, activist judge. As a Supreme Court Justice he was widely criticized for legitimizing martial law in 2000 and for a ruling by the Supreme Court in 2002 that permitted General Musharraf to keep his uniform while holding the office of President. "I wanted to take up arms against him," says Muneer Malik, president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, who now works on Chaudhry's defense team. In 2005 Chaudhry was promoted to Chief Justice. But then he started investigating extrajudicial...
...When Musharraf first came to power, he seemed for a time to be decisive and enlightened, and after Sept. 11 won full backing from the U.S. Maintaining his position as head of the army, he assured the country, was a temporary measure to ensure stability. If he ever felt the people were not with him, he said, he would quit...
...That was then. Angry at what he has termed sensationalist reporting, Musharraf launched a crackdown on the press two weeks ago. Live coverage of rallies related to Chaudhry have been banned, as have live talk shows on the issue. Opposition party organizers are routinely detained prior to planned antigovernment demonstrations. Outspoken activists have been charged with terrorist acts and others have simply disappeared. Qazim Bugti, mayor of a small town in the insurgency-wracked province of Baluchistan, was picked up in November. His is one of 99 abductions documented by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan last year...
...Musharraf's lack of a popular mandate means that he has been unable to confront those like Aziz, and has had to form alliances with conservative groups, costing him the support of moderates. "The rate of evaporation of support for Musharraf over the past few months is unprecedented," says Iqbal. "I don't come across a single person who is defending Musharraf today." Even support from the U.S. seems to be wavering. Representatives Tom Lantos and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen along with Senator Joe Biden wrote to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice recently, saying that, "It is our impression that many...
...quell unrest, Musharraf's best move could simply be to reinstate Chaudhry. "Then he wouldn't be the 100-foot giant stalking the cities and roads of Pakistan," says Aitzaz Ahsan, Chaudhry's lead counsel. But many consider it unlikely that the President will back down. Islamabad these days is permeated by fear that martial law will be declared. "My worry is that [Musharraf] is about to do something really silly and really dangerous," says Gilani. Musharraf "has now developed a larger-than-life self-image," adds Iqbal. "He thinks that he is Pakistan's destiny." Certainly he was once...