Government agrees to reinstate judge Chaudhry to end crisis
In an effort to calm the political turmoil gripping the country, the Pakistani government has agreed to restore deposed Supreme Court chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, reversing President Asif Ali Zardari's earlier refusals.
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REUTERS - The Pakistan government agreed on Monday to reinstate Iftikhar Chaudhry as Supreme Court chief justice to end a political crisis that has gripped the Muslim nation, a government official said.
The official added that a constitutional package would also be presented.
President Asif Ali Zardari had hitherto stonewalled calls from the opposition led by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and a lawyers' movement to restore the judge.
Chaudhry was dismissed in late 2007 by then-president and army chief Pervez Musharraf, but Zardari regarded the judge as too politicised and feared he could pose a threat to his own presidency if restored.
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