Pakistan's Musharraf accepts Supreme Court reversal of his suspension of chief justice

Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf has publicly accepted a court ruling that reversed his suspension of the chief justice, saying he wants harmonious ties with the reinstated judge, a news report said Wednesday.

Photo: Pakistan's Musharraf accepts Supreme Court reversal of his suspension of chief justice

Musharraf has come under severe criticism at home since March 9 when he filed a case against Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry for allegedly abusing his office to get a lucrative job for his son and benefits for himself.

The general - a key ally of Washington in its war on terror- suffered the worst political crisis on July 20 when the Supreme Court reinstated Chaudhry following protests by lawyers and opposition supporters who accused him of trying to get rid of an independent-minded judge before seeking another five-year term as the head of state.

"I accept the judgment of the judiciary and honor it," the state-run news agency Associated Press of Pakistan quoted Musharraf as saying during a speech at state-controlled Pakistan Television Tuesday.

However, the agency said Musharraf defended his action against Chaudhry, saying he had done so to fulfill a constitutional requirement.

"We had family ties and hope to maintain (the) same harmonious ties in future," he reportedly said of his relationship with Chaudhry, adding judiciary independence "is essential for the running of a government."

There was no comment from Chaudhry, who resumed his official duties shortly after the Supreme Court termed Musharraf's suspension order as illegal.