Dozens of Pakistani judges freed

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Dozens of Pakistani judges detained under emergency rule have been released following orders from newly elected Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani.

Former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry appeared on the balcony of his house in Islamabad cheered by supporters.

In November, President Pervez Musharraf sacked dozens of judges as the Supreme Court was set to rule on whether his re-election was legal.

Mr Gillani was chosen as prime minister by the Pakistan People's Party.

The party heads a government for the first time in 12 years after February's elections. It will lead a coalition that has a substantial majority.

Mr Gillani won the parliamentary vote by 264 votes to 42 for Musharraf ally Chaudhry Pervez Elahi.

'Thankful'

Hundreds of flag-waving, drum-beating supporters gathered outside Justice Chaudhry's house.

Mr Gillani has a daunting task ahead

Police pulled back barricades to admit black-suited lawyers and opposition activists who clapped and threw rose petals at the Chief Justice.

"All the judges who were arrested on 3 November, illegally and unconstitutionally, and I, are very thankful to all those people who helped in this effort to get us released," The Associated Press quoted Justice Chaudhry as saying.

Following his election on Monday, Mr Gillani made two key pledges in his speech.

The first was to demand "the immediate release of all the arrested judges", sparking cheers from most of the gathered MPs.

Mr Gillani's second pledge was to seek a resolution calling for a UN investigation into the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

"Democracy has been revived due to the sacrifice of Benazir Bhutto," Mr Gillani said.

He urged MPs to help him in his tasks:

"My past experience in parliament has shown me that if you want this country to work, the parliament must be supreme, constitution must be sacred and rule of law enforced."

Daunting task

The BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan in Islamabad says Mr Gillani is much admired within the PPP. He resisted pressure from President Musharraf to desert the party, refusing to do any deals with him.

Mr Musharraf (R) was badly weakened by the February elections

The former parliamentary speaker went to jail in 2001, serving five years following a conviction over illegal government appointments.

The sentence was passed by an anti-corruption court formed by President Musharraf as part of what he termed measures to cleanse politics.

His opponents say it was a means of intimidating and coercing their members to join his government.

Mr Gillani will have the daunting task of holding together a large coalition, tackling Islamic militancy and severe economic problems.

The PPP, led by Benazir Bhutto until her assassination in December, emerged as the biggest party in the February elections.

It is now headed by her widower, Asif Ali Zardari.

On Monday he was quoted in The News newspaper as saying that Mr Gillani would serve a full five-year term as prime minister.

There has been widespread speculation that Mr Zardari only wants the next prime minister to hold the post on an interim basis while Mr Zardari takes the necessary steps to make himself eligible to become prime minister.

That would include Mr Zardari winning a parliamentary seat in a by-election.