Impeachment in the air, Musharraf re-instates 8 judges, digs his heels in

Islamabad, August 6 : Delaying his departure to Beijing for the Olympic Games opening ceremony, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf today vowed to use all constitutional powers to thwart efforts to remove him from office. As the ruling coalition closed ranks on his possible impeachment — PML(N)’s Nawaz Sharif and PPP’s Asif Ali Zardari began a fresh round of talks late tonight — Musharraf approved reinstatement of eight deposed judges of the Sindh High Court but the province’s sacked Chief Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed, one of his critics, was not among them.

The Law Ministry had recommended that the eight judges, who were among those sacked by Musharraf during last year’s emergency rule, should be re-appointed. The notification was signed by Musharraf today, officials said.

Musharraf’s move to reinstate only eight judges will not go down well with the agitating lawyers who have been demanding that all deposed justices should be restored through a parliamentary resolution and an executive order issued by the Prime Minister.

Warning that any move to impeach him could “destabilise the country”, Musharraf who delayed his visit to Beijing by a day — initial reports said he had cancelled the trip but he will now head out tomorrow — told leaders of his ally PML(Q) that he would continue to play his constitutional role as head of state.

Following the meeting, PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly, told TV channels that Musharraf had said he would use his constitutional powers to counter any move to impeach him. They did not give details.

Differences over handling of Musharraf and reinstatement of judges sacked by the President have strained relations between the two ruling coalition allies with Sharif’s PML(N) quitting the cabinet in May. The PPP, which has refrained from taking on Musharraf head on after formation of the Government in March, now appears to have given in to pressure from Sharif.

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