Tens of thousands of people have gathered in Islamabad from across Pakistan for a protest called long march to press for the reinstatement of judges sacked by US-backed President President Musharraf.
The motorised long march reached Islamabad late Friday on its last leg from the eastern city of Lahore. Officials and organisers said it was biggest rally in the history of Pakistani capital, despite a very hot and humid June weather.
Lawyers had given the call for the "long march" after the ruling coalition failed to meet several deadlines for the reinstatement of about 60 judges whom Musharraf sacked in November 2007 to scuttle verdict against election candidacy because Pakistani constitution bars men in military uniform and government service from contesting any election for a public office.
Junior coalition partner, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz of former premier Nawaz Sharif, is actively taking part in the protest, while senior ruling coalition partner Pakistan People's Party of slain ex-premier Benazir Bhutto is absent. Observers say that PPP does not want to annoy US by expelling Musharraf from presidency.
News channels have been giving live coverage of “one of the historic†events in Pakistan. It is not yet clear what course of action the political leadership and lawyers would unfold and when the protest will end.
The lawyers are demanding reinstatement of high court judges and Supreme Court chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, who has become a symbol of defiance to military dictatorship.
Musharraf, a former military general, grabbed the power in 1999 by overthrowing Sharif's government and has scrapped the nuclear-armed country's constitution twice and stifled independent media.
The march participants raised "Go Musharraf go" and "Hang Musharraf" slogans.
The march ended early Saturday with a pledge to continue struggle for the independence of judiciary.
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