Pakistani Justice Breaks Silence

" ... Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, the former chief justice of Pakistan who was removed last year when President Pervez Musharraf imposed a state of emergency, has finally broken his silence.

 

A letter from Mr. Chaudhry to Western officials was circulated Wednesday. It lambasted Mr. Musharraf for quashing Pakistan’s independent judiciary and illegally detaining him and his family, and noted that the Supreme Court had not had a chance to rule on whether it was legal for Mr. Musharraf to run for re-election in December.

It was Mr. Chaudhry’s second public statement since the start of emergency rule on Nov. 3, when he was confined to his official residence. On Nov. 6, he made a telephone address to opposition lawyers in Islamabad, urging the nation to rise up for the restoration of the Constitution. Emergency rule was lifted Dec. 15.

The Pakistani government insists that Mr. Chaudhry is not under house arrest, although public access to his residence is prohibited and visitors are not allowed. An aide, Athar Minullah, said the letter was smuggled out by Mr. Chaudhry’s 16-year-old daughter.

The letter, prompted by Mr. Musharraf’s recent visit to European capitals, was addressed to the president of the European Parliament, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Britain and the head of the World Economic Forum. During his trip, Mr. Musharraf gave Western leaders a damning profile of Mr. Chaudhry, according to Mr. Minullah.

Mr. Chaudhry said in the letter, “I have found it necessary to write to you, and others, because during his recent visits to Brussels, Paris, Davos and London General Musharraf has slandered me, and my colleagues, with impunity in press conferences and other addresses and meetings.”

There was no immediate comment from the government. ... "

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