ISLAMABAD, April 26: Rowdy protests by pro-PPP activists on Wednesday against the conviction of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani created a security situation for some Supreme Court judges and Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohmmad Chaudhry missed his flight to Karachi, according to police sources.

They said some six hours after the verdict was announced, about 150 protesters assembled at the entrance of the Judges Colony at 4pm, shouting slogans and burning tyres. When the police tried to resist their actions, they scuffled with the police.

About an hour later, several dozen lawyers started a noisy demonstration on the Constitution Avenue in front of the Supreme Court building.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, who normally stays at work until 5pm, and some brother judges who were still in the building, could not leave for their residences because their police detail considered it a security risk in the presence of the protesters.

They eventually left after 7pm after their way was cleared of the protesters. Besides causing discomfiture to the judges, the delay made the chief justice miss his flight to Karachi, according to the sources.

When contacted, the police staff deputed at the apex court, however, said all the judges had left for their residences on time.

Routinely, the motorcades of the adjudicators, including the chief justice, use the Constitution Avenue, Aga Khan Road or Margalla Road to reach their residences. But due to protests at the Aga Khan Road and Constitution Avenue, the police did not give clearance for the movement of the judges, the sources said.

Another route - Constitution Avenue, Shahrah-i-Jamhuriat, Ataturk Avenue-6 and Margalla Road - was considered to drive the judges to the Judges Colony but the idea was dropped due to blockades on the roads.

About 150 to 200 activists of the PPP, including Nargis Faiz Malik, the president of PPP Islamabad women wing, gathered at Jinnah Avenue and chanted slogans against the judiciary and in favour of the prime minister. They blocked the road by setting old tyres on fire.

Later, they marched towards the Judicial Colony but were intercepted near Marriott Hotel by the police. A brief scuffle also took place between the police and the protesters when the latter tried to reach the residence of the chief justice and staged a protest there.

However, the police and city administration officials convinced the protesters to disperse.

Later, over three dozens lawyers from the PLF reached the Constitution Avenue in front of Parliament House and chanted slogans against the SC verdict.

As a result, one lane of the Constitution Avenue adjacent to the parliament was closed for traffic and the other lane was used for two-way traffic from where some legislators, including Interior Minister Rehman Malik, also passed.

The motorcade of the prime minister was diverted to another route from the Constitution Avenue due to the protest at around 6pm.

Aamir Yasin adds from Pindi: The activists and leaders of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) staged a protest demonstration against the conviction of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani by Supreme Court in the contempt case.

Contrary to the traditional style, the protest was not so intense and violent. More than 50 workers and local leaders gathered in front of Benazir Bhutto Memorial at Liaquat Bagh where former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on Dec 27, 2007 in a bomb attack.

The protesters burnt tyres and chanted slogans against the verdict of the apex court. PPP senior leader Qazi Sultan Mehmood, Rawalpindi district and city presidents Raja Shaukat Ali Abbasi and Aamir Fida Paracha as well as other leaders were among the protesters.

While addressing the people, the speakers said that the courts had issued biased decision and the conviction of prime minister was meant to dent the democracy in the country.

They said that the courts had long history against the party’s leadership.

“The PPP workers sacrificed their lives for the restoration of independent judiciary and in return, they faced trials for doing nothing,” they said.

Meanwhile, PPAJK activists staged rallies in Muzaffarabad. The party activists assembled at the press club from where they marched through the main roads chanting slogans in favour of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani.

The protesters also shouted slogans against the ‘judicial victimisation’ of PPP leaders, accusing the judiciary of being ‘vindictive and personalised’ towards their leadership.

“This judgment is based on personal enmity and has earned disrepute for the court and the country,” said Shaukat Javed Mir, a PPAJK leader.

From Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani, the PPP leaders faced bogus cases and trials in succession, he said.

Similar rallies were held in many other AJK towns.