Deposed CJ denies president’s charge.

Deposed CJ denies president’s charge.
By Umar Cheema

ISLAMABAD: Deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has denied President Pervez Musharraf’s allegation that he was trying to remove Musharraf illegally. President Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday said the former chief justice was trying to remove him illegally and the country would have been in trouble, had he been allowed to have his own way. The president’s comments prompted a swift reaction from the deposed chief justice on Tuesday night. Justice Chaudhry termed Musharraf’s assertion “absolutely incorrect”. He said the only point that he was not part of that 11-member bench hearing his case, is sufficient to render his claim simply baseless. He said four judges, out of the 11-member bench, had already taken oath of loyalty to Musharraf. Justice Chaudhry said he had many secrets to reveal and that he would do so once he is released. In a statement that he sent through a close confidant, Justice Chaudhry said that every judge in the prevailing judicial system is independent in taking his own position on all issues. He said when he was not part of that bench then how could he manoeuvre to dislodge the president. He said Musharraf has taken different stands to justify his actions of November 3. Justice Chaudhry has been in confinement since November 3 when emergency was imposed and all the defiant judges were dismissed. Around 50 judges had refused to take oath of loyalty to Musharraf.