PAKISTAN: SUPPORTERS OF PRIME MINISTER SHARIF PROTEST OUTSIDE COURT

(28 Nov 1997) English/Nat

Thousands of demonstrators stormed Pakistan's Supreme Court on Friday, forcing a chief justice to adjourn a contempt of court case against the Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif.

If found guilty, Sharif could be removed from power.

Supporters of the prime minister shouted slogans against Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah - who is locked in a bitter power struggle with Sharif.

They broke through the gates and surged past 200 unarmed policemen.

Thousands of supporters for Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif swarmed in front of the Supreme Court in Islamabad Friday.

In what some critics have described as a staged demonstration, protesters shouted slogans against Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah - who is locked in a bitter power struggle with Sharif.

Their attempt to storm the courthouse forced Shah to adjourn a contempt of court case against Sharif - who could lose his post if he's found guilty.

The mob - made up mostly of the youth wing of Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League - appeared to be led by several of the prime minister's lawmakers in the provincial and national assemblies.

They broke through the gates, surging past 200 unarmed policemen.

Witnesses said the police calmly stood by, apparently unwilling to prevent people from entering the courthouse grounds.

An aide to Sharif described what he saw from inside the courthouse.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"One gentleman entered (the courthouse). And he said that the court premises had been raided and that there are thousands of people coming inside."
SUPER CAPTION: Colonel Mushtaq, Political Secretary for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif

Before they could force their way into the courtroom, Shah adjourned the hearing as police tried to restore calm.

No new date was set.

Later, youths screaming "Sajjad is the killer of democracy" set off firecrackers on the sprawling grounds outside the white marble courthouse.

The quarrel between the prime minister and chief justice began several months ago over the appointment of five new judges to the Supreme Court.

Shah and Sharif argued over who should be appointed.

Although the chief justice won, he resurrected corruption charges against Sharif and suspended a constitutional amendment that banned lawmakers from voting against their party on legislation.

Sharif publicly criticised Shah's decision to suspend that amendment - which led to a contempt of court charge.

In Pakistan, it is a crime to publicly criticise the judiciary.

Earlier in Peshawar on Friday, about 120 miles west of Islamabad, two Supreme Court judges held a hearing and ordered the president and prime minister to remove Shah.

They said the chief justice ignored their order that he step down, issued the previous day.

Constitutional lawyers remain divided over whether the Supreme Court justices have the authority to force Shah's removal.

Each of Pakistan's four provinces has a Supreme Court bench.

It is not clear what authority they have to suspend the chief justice.

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