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Pak political crisis deepens

Pakistan's political crisis deepened today as the prime minister and president disagreed over the removal of an embattled chief justice, senior government officials said. Trying to negotiate a solution was the powerful army chief, Lieutenant General Jehangir Karamat.

The army issued a statement earlier this week saying Karamat has been assigned the role of mediator, but it was up to Pakistan's squabbling institutions to reach a compromise.

Karamat last week prevented the impeachment of President Farooq Leghari and an open confrontation between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief and Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah.

Yesterday, the chief justice came under fire from two fellow judges over his right to hold his position.

An order calling for Shah's suspension was issued in the Baluchistan provincial capital of Quetta by Khalil ur Rehman and Ershad Hasan Khan, two supreme court judges from Baluchistan.

They ordered Shah to appear in the Baluchistan high court tomorrow to answer charges that he was promoted ahead of more senior judges, contrary to Pakistani law. Until then, they said, he stood suspended.

Then another four supreme court judges, citing a procedural error, overruled that order and said the chief justice could remain on the job. One member of the bench, Justice M Kazi, refused to fall in line though. The Baluchistan judges dismissed that order, saying it was illegal and should be "ignored''.

Justice Shah said the matter would be heard tomorrow by a separate bench nominated by him. He said he was ready to step down if it was in accordance with the law of the land and the constitution.

He also came under attack again today as two judges of the Peshawar bench of the supreme court suspended him on the issue of seniority, plunging the country into an unprecedented crisis.

The two judges of the Peshawar bench of the supreme court -- Justice Saeeduzaman Saddiqi and Justice Sadal Fazle Elahi Khan -- upheld the judgment delivered by the Quetta bench of the court yesterday.

Meanwhile, there were reports that the Sindh bench of the court was also expected to announce its judgment on a similar pending petition.

EARLIER REPORTS:
Pak thick with rumours that Sharief may go
Pak supreme court restrains president from signing bill
Sharief chargesheeted in contempt case
Pak amends law to save PM
Contempt case against Sharief adjourned

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