Lawyers' leader may ease political tensions

Islamabad: The election of a new leader of Pakistan's lawyer community may help ease growing tension between the government and the judiciary, analysts say, while at the same time strengthening Pakistan's democracy.

Renowned human rights activist Asma Jahangir on Wednesday was elected president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, defeating rivals seen as allies of the dominating judiciary against the government of President Asif Ali Zardari.

Lawyers have emerged as key political players in Pakistani politics after they launched a popular campaign for the restoration of scores of judges, including Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, sacked by former President Pervez Musharraf in 2007.

Zardari, who succeeded Musharraf as president, reinstated the judges last year but tensions have been simmering between the government and judiciary after Chaudhry struck down a law giving amnesty to Zardari, his top aides and thousands of others.

Jahangir's election is a milestone in more ways than one.

She's the first woman to head the SCBA and an unabashed advocate of minority rights.

Split in factions

And while her margin of victory was small, it suggests a split between the pro- and anti-government factions within the legal community. "Asma Jahangir's election is going to strengthen the government against the judiciary," Anis Jilani, a senior lawyer, said.

This, in turn, could allow a more stable balance of power between Pakistan's civilian institutions, a separation most analysts believe is crucial to strengthening democracy.