Lawyers back 'Long March' against Musharraf

Описание: (10 Jun 2008) SHOTLIST
1. Lawyers chanting slogans outside home of deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry
2. Chaudhry coming out of house
3. Crowd of lawyers surrounding car
4. Mid of Chaudhry in car
5. Lawyer chanting; UPSOUND: (Urdu) "Chief lots of people sacrifice life for you,"
6. Wide of lawyers chanting; UPSOUND: (Urdu) "Fight until free judiciary"
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Ather Minallah, lawyer and spokesperson for Pakistan's deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry:
"I don't know what message the government is sending, because yesterday the lawyers' leaders had had a meeting with the administration, including the Inspector General of Police and the Chief Commissioner. We had already selected a spot and there was full cooperation. Why these containers have been put, who has done this? I think someone is trying to sabotage the peaceful protest."
8. Low angle view of Chaudhry's convoy passing, police vehicle in convoy
9. Various of security bunkers in front of parliament and the president's house
10. Various of shipping containers blocking road to the president's house
STORYLINE
Security was heightened in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, on Tuesday ahead of the expected arrival of protest marches led by lawyers demanding the reinstatement of judges sacked by President Pervez Musharraf.
The so-called "Long March" was expected to culminate with a rally and a sit-in in front of parliament, as part of the protesters' efforts to intensify pressure on Musharraf to resign.
The lawyers' movement, which spearheaded protests against Musharraf last year, is demanding that the new civilian administration quickly reinstate the judges.
On Tuesday, Pakistan's deposed chief justice left Islamabad to join the protesting lawyers on their "Long March".
Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry was cheered by supporters as he left his home to make his way to the airport, from where he was to travel to Multan, the main gathering point of the rally.
The convoy of lawyers and other activists were expected to arrive in the central city later on Tuesday, before heading to Lahore and then Islamabad.
Musharraf ousted dozens of judges in November during a burst of emergency rule imposed as he faced legal challenges to staying on as president.
The move outraged lawyers and his political opponents, who were already angry over an earlier attempt by the president to depose Chaudhry.
The Interior Ministry chief on Monday said that the government would not try to stop the demonstrators from marching to the capital.
However, security was beefed up in the capital on Tuesday with several 40-foot shipping containers blocking the main road leading to the president's office and parliament and more than a dozen more containers awaiting use nearby.
Paramilitary forces also built several new sandbag positions in the area.
"I don't know what message the government is sending," said Ather Minallah, a spokesperson for Pakistan's deposed chief justice, Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry.
"We had already selected a spot and there was full cooperation. Why these containers have been put, who has done this? I think someone is trying to sabotage the peaceful protest," he told AP Television on Tuesday.
The demonstrations are heightening tension between ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's party and its senior coalition partner, the party of Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of the slain former Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto.
Sharif is due to fly back to Pakistan from London on Tuesday to join the protests.
The parties also appear to differ on how to approach common archrival Musharraf, who has said he will not step down.

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