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Pakistan judge due at probe panel Tear gas against Pakistan lawyers
(about 4 hours later)
Pakistan's top judge is due to appear before a judicial tribunal as nationwide protests continue against his suspension from office. Pakistani police have used tear gas near the Supreme Court in Islamabad to disperse protesters angered at the suspension of the court's top judge.
Last week, President Pervez Musharraf suspended the judge, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, on charges of misconduct. Hundreds of lawyers have rallied in defiance of security restrictions.
The judge, noted for his firm line on government misdeeds and human rights abuses, denies the allegations. Earlier many opposition activists were arrested hours before Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was due to appear before a judicial tribunal.
He faces charges of misconduct. His supporters say the government is trying to silence him.
Mr Chaudhry has a reputation for independence and has challenged the government on several cases.
He is due to make his second appearance before the tribunal at the Supreme Court on Friday.
The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says Mr Chaudhry's suspension seems to have become a rallying point for all those with grievances against the government of President Pervez Musharraf.
Barbed wire
Several hundred lawyers marched to the Supreme Court despite a massive police presence in Islamabad. They were supported by high-profile opposition figures.
Paramilitary police prepare for confrontation
Security forces blocked traffic and rolled barbed wire across roads leading up to the courthouse.
Clashes broke out and police detained a number of protesters. They include Qazi Hussain Ahmed, the leader of the hard-line Islamic coalition, the MMA, who was taken away in a police vehicle.
Before Friday's violence flared, police had arrested a number of opposition politicians.
The media is facing further restrictions on its reporting. The broadcasting authority, Pemra, has banned the private TV station Geo from showing one of its current affairs programmes.
Both Geo and another network, Aaj, have had their broadcasts suspended in recent days due to their coverage of the protests.
'Assault on independence'
Mr Chaudhry was suspended one week ago by President Musharraf after he had received "numerous complaints and serious allegations for misconduct, misuse of authority and actions prejudicial to the dignity of office of the chief justice of Pakistan", the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan news agency said.
Details of the charges have not been made public.
Lawyers say the judge's suspension is an assault on judicial independence.Lawyers say the judge's suspension is an assault on judicial independence.
They have been on strike all week over the issue in protest against the suspension.They have been on strike all week over the issue in protest against the suspension.
Political opposition parties have also joined in the protests. Our correspondent says the government is clearly nervous about the reaction of the opposition to the president's decision to suspend the chief justice.
On Wednesday, Mr Chaudhry refused to use official vehicles and proceeded on foot to a hearing of the Supreme Judicial Council, the supervisory judicial body which is looking into his alleged misconduct. The government accuses protestors of politicising a matter that should be left to the courts. But the chief justice has vowed to fight his case, both to clear his name and to defend the independence of the judiciary.
Mr Chaudhry attended that hearing along with his lawyers. The proceedings were then adjourned until Friday.
The BBC correspondent in Islamabad says that the chief justice had a reputation for taking an independent stand.
He has challenged the government on several cases, and the issue seems to have become a rallying point for all those with grievances against the Pakistan government.