Pakistan lawyers warn of storm of protest over judge

By Aftab Borka

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani lawyers campaigning for the the restoration of a deposed chief justice vented their anger on Monday against President Asif Ali Zardari and warned of a storm of protest if their demands are ignored.

Thousands of lawyers across the country held protests on Monday, the first anniversary of the imposition of a six-week stint of emergency rule by then president Pervez Musharraf.

After declaring a state of emergency, Musharraf purged the judiciary of the independent-minded chief justice, Iftikar Chaudhry, and other judges who Musharraf saw as a threat to his plans to hold on to power.

Musharraf's resignation in August did not end controversy over Chaudhry, and the failure of the government led by Zardari's party to reinstate Chaudhry led to a split in the coalition.

Zardari is the widower of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto who was assassinated in December.

About 3,000 lawyers, political party workers and rights activists, many chanting "Go Zardari, go" gathered in the city of Rawalpindi to mark the anniversary of Musharraf's emergency with a fresh call for Chaudhry to be reinstated.

"Don't compel us to knock on the doors again," firebrand lawyers' leader Ali Ahmed Kurd told the rally.

"We want the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law in the country and if that doesn't happen, the power of 100,000 lawyers and members of civil society will emerge like a storm," Kurd said.