ISLAMABAD: While giving remarks during the hearing of the constitutional petitions filed against the eligibility of President General Pervez Musharraf, the head of the 11-member larger bench of the Supreme Court, Justice Javed Iqbal said that martial law, emergency or any other threat would not affect the bench and no group should assume that the Supreme Court has been made hostage.
During the hearing of this important constitutional case, the lawyer of Justice retired Wajihuddin Ahmed, Aitezaz Ahsan said that the federal ministers and the attorney-general were saying that martial law may be imposed in the country if decision goes against the president.
On this, Justice Javed Iqbal gave remarks that the court would not be affected by any threat.
Attorney-geeneral and government lawyer Wasim Sajjad said loudly that here the lawyers have been threatening to set the Supreme Court at fire.
On this occasion, Justice Javed Iqbal asked the lawyers to display tolerance and adjourned the further hearing till tomorrow (Friday).
Re: Bench won’t be affected by martial law, emergency or any other threat: Justice Ja
Ehsan saheb: The Glorious Army of Pakistan and its agencies have already created such a situation in Swat and other areas that gives Mushy a very good reason to declare emergency or possibly Martial law, and if the verdict goes against Mushy he would surely use the current deteriorating law and order situation to sustain his illegitimate rule by declaring emergency.
Re: Bench won’t be affected by martial law, emergency or any other threat: Justice Ja
**Crisis fears make Pakistan court hurry Musharraf case
**](http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2007-11-02T115101Z_01_SP249117_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-PAKISTAN-COL.XML&archived=False)
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan’s Supreme Court said on Friday it will quickly wrap up hearing challenges to President Pervez Musharraf’s re-election, after an earlier plan for a 10-day adjournment raised fears emergency rule might be declared.
The court will reconvene on Monday instead of November 12, which would have been just three days before Musharraf’s current term ends, heightening a sense of suspense in a country already trembling from a wave of suicide attacks by al Qaeda-inspired militants.
The court’s dallying had been a factor fuelling rumors Musharraf could invoke emergency powers and call off a vote due in January which is supposed to transform nuclear-armed Pakistan into a civilian-led democracy.
“The court will not take any blame for the controversy being created,” said Justice Javed Iqbal, head of the 11-member bench hearing the objections to U.S.-ally Musharraf contesting the presidency while still army chief.
As proceedings were wrapped up on Friday, Iqbal said efforts would be made “to conclude the case in the shortest possible time.”
Karachi’s stock market was still uneasy over the political situation after dropping nearly three percent the previous day.
In late trade on Friday the benchmark index stood 0.25 percent down, as investors in what has been one of Asia’s best performing markets remained nervous.
The talk of an emergency or martial law also had prompted U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to say any such move would be opposed by the United States and elections should go ahead next year.
“I am not going to get into the details of our conversations but I think it would be quite obvious that the United States would not be supportive of extra-constitutional means,” Rice told journalists traveling with her to Turkey.
Re: Bench won’t be affected by martial law, emergency or any other threat: Justice Ja
Interesting quote from the article:
'Most diplomats and analysts doubt whether Musharraf's re-election by parliament on October 6 will be ruled invalid by the court. The judges are more likely to bind him to future actions like getting his presidency endorsed by the next parliament.'
