Musharraf should resign: Chaudhry's counsel

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf should step down following the Supreme Court ruling reinstating suspended Chief Justice Iftikhar M Chaudhry as it is the honourable option left for the General, the chief counsel of the top judge has said.

"It should have shattered his government and his regime, having taken the full responsibility for the action against the Chief Justice... The honourable option left for him (President Musharraf) is to resign," Chaudhry's chief counsel Aitzaz Ahsan said.

Ahsan, however, said that despite the Supreme Court's unambiguous rejoinder, he does not expect Musharraf, who had suspended Chaudhry on March 9, to resign from the President's post.

"But of course, I don't expect him (Musharraf) to do that (resign). I don't think he will even apologise for creating such a chaos in the country for four months all be himself."

Ahsan said the four months of protest have exuded "amazing confidence" in the Bar Association and lawyers now think that they are the watchdogs of the Constitution and judiciary.

"Bar Association would be very aggressive if Musharraf gets re-elected with or without uniform in November and would oppose it in every possible way," Ahsan said.

Musharraf plans to seek re-election in uniform from present assemblies later this year while general elections in Pakistan are due early next year.

Chaudhry's suspension by Musharraf had sparked protests by lawyers and opposition parties.