New Pakistani PM to free judges

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistan's deposed chief justice made his first public appearance in four months on Monday, soon after newly-elected prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani vowed to release all judges held since last year.

Gilani, a long-time aide to slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto voted in by Pakistan's new parliament, moved to free the officials arrested last November when President Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency.

Hundreds of people swarmed the residence of former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry through a gap in the concertina wire fence surrounding it, hoping to see him walk free following four months under house arrest.

However, he returned inside after appearing on his porch and waving and accepting gifts from his supporters.

Chaudhry and other judges had threatened to legally challenge the right of former army chief Musharraf to be president, and he responded by purging the courts of 60 top officials.

Pakistan's state-run news agency quoted a senior Islamabad administrator as saying that all judges detained under the government of Musharraf were now free following Gilani's edict.

"The prisoners are free today," said Chaudhry's lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan, The Associated Press reported. Watch the crowds at Chaudhry's home »

Attorney Athar Minallah also met Chaudhry, AP reported, and said the judge was "extremely grateful" to the new parliament and was looking forward to resuming his duties. He is expected to start meeting guests on Tuesday.

Musharraf's power has been significantly eroded since he bowed to opposition demands to step down as the country's military chief, and since his ruling party was dealt a decisive blow in last month's parliamentary elections.

The atmosphere outside Chaudhry's home was jubilant; people cheered for the deposed chief justice -- who has become a symbol for those opposed to Musharraf's rule -- and begged him to come out and make an appearance.

"One person said, 'I feel like a hero myself because after months of tear gas and security guards, I'm finally here,'" CNN's Reza Sayah said.

Gilani swept to victory with 264 votes, while his opponent from a party backing Musharraf received 42 votes.

Speaking to lawmakers shortly after he was elected, Gilani also said he would immediately push for a United Nations investigation into the assassination of Bhutto.

"I will ask the U.N. assembly to join forces to launch an investigation into Benazir Bhutto's death on December 27, 2007," he said. "Once an investigation is launched the key priority is to find and capture Benazir Bhutto's killer and bring him and his organization to justice"

Gilani, 55, had been expected to sail through because opposition parties that swept the parliamentary elections last month have a two-thirds ruling majority.

He will take the oath of office from Musharraf at a ceremony Tuesday.

After the vote, Gilani shook hands with lawmakers and others in attendance, including Bhutto's son, Bilawal.

The United States welcomed Gilani's election.

"We congratulate Yousaf Raza Gilani and the Pakistani people for moving quickly to form a new government," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Monday. "The U.S. looks forward to working in partnership with the government of Pakistan."

After forming a coalition earlier this month, the leaders of the Pakistan People's Party and Pakistan Muslim League-N vowed to restore Pakistan's deposed judges within 30 days after the first session of parliament.

The ousted judges are at the heart of the political crisis that began in Pakistan last year, when Musharraf removed nearly all of the Supreme Court members days before they were set to rule against the legitimacy of his third term in office.

The PPP -- now led by Bhutto's widower, Asif Ali Zardari -- was one of two parties that won the majority of National Assembly seats in the parliamentary election last month, and took over as the ruling coalition. PML-N is headed by another former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif.

Gilani was a senior leader of the PPP and served time in prison on corruption charges in the mid-1990s under Bhutto's administration. His supporters say the charges were politically motivated.

It is unclear how long Gilani will remain prime minister. Many analysts say they would not be surprised if Zardari takes over the reins in a few months.

"Yes, most likely he will be prime minister if conditions are met," said Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, director of the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency, before Gilani's election win.

According to a report Monday in the Pakistani newspaper, The News, Zardari said he was not interested in the job of prime minister and that Gilani would serve five years in the position.

Prime minister or not, Zardari will have significant power in the new government. It is a remarkable comeback story for a man who spent more than eight years in prison on corruption charges. He was released in 2004, and outstanding corruption charges were dismissed by a Swiss court earlier this month.

For now, Zardari is ineligible to be considered for the premiership. He does not have a seat in the national assembly, but he may opt to seek a seat in special elections over the summer.

The election came after suspected militants in a Pakistani border town blew up 38 fuel tankers bound for Afghanistan on Sunday, an official said.

The blast in Landi Kotal injured 60 to 70 people, the official said. The town is located in near Khyber Pass, a mountain pass that links Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Officials said militants aligned with the Taliban and al Qaeda had carried out similar attacks in the past there.

Because Afghanistan is landlocked, many supplies for NATO-led troops fighting Islamic militants there have to be trucked in from Pakistan. E-mail to a friend

CNN's Zein Basravi contributed to this report

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All About Pakistan • Benazir Bhutto • Pervez Musharraf