Word: musharraf
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...recent political history, the country's judiciary has always sided with its military, justifying its frequent coups against the country's malfunctioning elected governments and endorsing the generals' mandate to rule. So, when Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry was suspended and accused of misconduct by Pakistan's President, Pervez Musharraf, it was widely expected that the spat would soon blow over...
...Instead, however, the firing of Chaudry has turned into a political crisis for Musharraf, as massive crowds continue to demonstrate their support for the 59-year-old lawyer from Quetta. His journey last weekend from Islamabad to Lahore on the historic Grand Trunk Road, usually a four-hour drive, turned into 24-hour odyssey as tens of thousands of people clogged the 200-mile stretch of road to catch a glimpse of the man who has become the country's most popular figure. The mood of the crowds was virulently anti-government, as protesters demanded that Musharraf step down...
...protests, led primarily by lawyers and judges supporting Chaudhry, are being taken as a sign that Pakistan's judiciary is losing patience with the Musharraf government's interference in the legal system, and that this is combining with popular anger over rising prices of basic commodities, corruption in the government and military actions in Balochistan and the tribal areas...
...That's not the only trick Musharraf has used in the my-rally-is-bigger-than-yours stakes. The government has directed teachers, professors and civil servants to attend, and commanded district and village leaders to bring anywhere from 100 to 1000 people from their towns to the rally. In order to transport these less-than-fervent fans, hundreds of buses, vans and mini-buses have been commandeered from transport operators across the region since Sunday, and parked throughout the capital. The government has promised to compensate drivers for the use of their vehicles, offering 2000 rupees...
...Today's rally may be important for Musharraf's eventual re-election campaign, but once again he is alienating the very people he should be courting. In consideration of the transport difficulties, the city government of Rawalpindi has declared today a holiday. Of course, what's the point of a holiday if you can't get anywhere. Then again, that may be exactly the government's point: all the more reason, after all, for residents to attend the rally...