Pakistan's Musharraf seeks harmony with top judge

Reinstated Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry (C) walks with his supporters at his residence after the court decision in Islamabad in this file photo from July 20, 2007.

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's embattled President Pervez Musharraf says he hopes for "harmonious ties" with the recently reinstated chief justice he had tried to fire four months ago, in a move that ultimately weakened him politically.

Musharraf, now passing through what is widely seen as the most beleaguered phase of his eight-year rule, suspended Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry in March on charges of misconduct.

That sparked a countrywide campaign against the move by the lawyer community and opposition groups, and the Supreme Court quashed the charges and reinstated Chaudhry on July 20.

In his first comment on the judgment, Musharraf said he accepted it and would honor it.

He had personal relations with Chaudhry and hoped to maintain them, he also said.

"We had family ties and hope to maintain (the) same harmonious ties in future," the official Associated Press of Pakistan quoted him as telling a ceremony late on Tuesday.

Musharraf, who is also army chief, said he held judges in the "highest esteem" and had never tried to politicize the judiciary.

On Wednesday, Musharraf appointed a new attorney general after his predecessor resigned from the post following the court verdict.

The court decision came when U.S. ally Musharraf also faced growing difficulties keeping a lid on security problems as he seeks election to a second term this year.

In a video posted on Tuesday, an al Qaeda leader, Abu Yahya al-Libi, called on Pakistanis to overthrow Musharraf, accusing him of helping Washington kill Muslims in Afghanistan.

Musharraf survived two al Qaeda-inspired assassination attempts in 2003.

Pakistan has seen a wave of bomb and suicide attacks since a bloody army assault last month on Islamabad's Lal Masjid or Red Mosque, a stronghold of Islamist militants.

At the same time Musharraf is under increasing U.S. pressure to step up action against al Qaeda and other militants entrenched in a lawless tribal belt on the Afghan border.

A bill U.S. President George W. Bush is expected to sign ties Pakistan aid to progress against the militants, while Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama said on Wednesday the United States must be willing to hit al Qaeda targets in Pakistan with or without Islamabad's approval.

Movement of military and paramilitary convoys in and around the border regions has become more frequent and check-posts have been reinforced in recent weeks, although the government has not linked the steps to U.S. demands.

Musharraf plans to seek re-election in September or October from the existing assemblies while remaining in army uniform. General elections are due later this year or in early 2008.

Many analysts believe Musharraf's move to sack Chaudhry might have been motivated by fears the judge could block his plans.

A survey conducted by the Washington-based International Republican Institute found Musharraf's approval rating nosedived 20 points in four months to 34 percent by early July, even before the announcement of the court's ruling on Chaudhry.

The poll showed 32 percent of Pakistanis believed self-exiled former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was the best leader to handle the country's problems, followed by Musharraf with 27 percent, reversing the positions in the previous poll conducted in February/March.

Last week, Musharraf met secretly with Bhutto in Abu Dhabi in an effort to reach a power-sharing pact before elections.

Bhutto represents the most liberal opposition party and is considered a natural ally of Musharraf, who espouses a policy of "enlightened moderation".

However, Bhutto insists Musharraf take off his army uniform to pave the way for any political deal.

(With additional reporting by Augustine Anthony)