New York: The chief of Pakistan's human rights watchdog has said President Pervez Musharraf is a "skillful liar", but is losing his touch and sees ghosts everywhere.
"He's insecure. Not only does he want a pliant judiciary, he wants a totally subservient one," said Asma Jahangir, chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, referring to Musharraf's suspension of former Chief Justice of Supreme Court Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.
She said the President has tried "once again to lie" and to "mislead" everybody. "But it is very difficult in 2007 to have that with today's free media and the independent bar," Jahangir told Newsweek.
"His move is not as casual and simple as he puts it. It was obviously preplanned. He claims that placing Chaudhry under house arrest was a tactical error. Yet for two days this 'tactical error' continued," she said.
Asked about the subversion of the judiciary, Jahangir said this is not the first time it has happened.
"He forced the Supreme Court justices to swear a loyalty oath to him when he came to power (via a bloodless coup in 1999)," she said.
Jahangir rejected the suggestion that the reason for Musharraf to suspend Chaudhry was that he was worried that he would rule against his retaining dual role as President and Chief of Army Staff.
"Whether the President can continue to wear the uniform or not was not the issue. We do not think that any judge has the kind of courage, including Chowdhry. We don't think that these judges have gumption or courage," Jahangir told the magazine.
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