Pakistan: roars and whimpers

Lawyers take to the streets again this week, as pressure builds on the government to restore deposed judges. A 'long march' will start on Tuesday in Multan; ex-servicemen and the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) -- which recently withdrew from the Pakistan Peoples' Party-led coalition government -- will join the suits on the road.

Protesters will be united in opposition to President Pervez Musharraf, whose dismissal of former Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry in March 2007 triggered a crisis of legitimacy that has yet to be resolved. A judiciary that had showed signs of independence, and had threatened to jeopardise Musharraf re-election plans, was removed, with the imposition of emergency rule in November.

A failure to restore the judges would now endanger the government, its own success in elections earlier this year having been pegged, in part, to hopes for change.

Yet the government seems more focused on constitutional reform that would weaken the presidency. And while Islamabad grapples with all these constitutional and political challenges, the country's severe economic and security problems go unresolved. Amidst the roar of protests this week, a delayed budget will be presented, with a whimpering forecast of just 5.5% growth for the coming fiscal year.