[JURIST] Critics of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf [official website; BBC profile] continued protests Friday outside the venue of the latest court hearing on the suspension [JURIST report] of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry [official profile; JURIST news archive], burning an effigy of Musharraf and demanding his resignation. Inside the courtroom, the Supreme Judicial Council [governing constitutional provisions] adjourned [press release] until April 18th to consider objections that Chaudhry's lawyers raised to three out of the five judges reviewing the suspension. One of Chaudhry's lawyers told AP that he objected to the three because they held "personal differences" with his client.

Musharraf has said Chaudhry was removed from his post for numerous judicial abuses [JURIST report], which included pushing police officials into giving a job to his son. Lawyers and political opponents, however, say Musharraf's decision is an attempt to control the judiciary and continue his eight-year rule in an election year, and have loudly protested the suspension [JURIST report]. Many lawyers across Pakistan have boycotted the courts [JURIST report] and a number of senior judges have resigned [JURIST report] over the controversy. AP has more.