Deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and other judges sacked under emergency rule two years ago were reinstated by President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday, a day after the Pakistan People's Party government defused the standoff with opposition leader Nawaz Sharif.
Although Sharif wanted Musharraf to be arrested and tried in a court of law on charges of treason, Zardari has convinced his new political partner to allow Musharraf an honourable exit by requesting him to step down. The new allies, however. decided that if Musharraf refused to step down, they would seek his impeachment.