Chief Justice Ifthikar Chaudary arrived in Karachi on Saturday to meet supporters as rival political activists clashed in the city that opposition leaders said was under siege by government supporters.
The government's suspension of the chief justice on March 9 has outraged the judiciary and the opposition and has blown up into the most serious challenge to President Pervez Musharraf's authority since he seized power in 1999.
Many roads including the one into the city from the airport were blocked by trucks, buses and containers in an apparent bid to disrupt Justice Chaudhry's visit.
An opposition party supporting the judge said two activists were killed overnight and at least 12 people were wounded in later clashes, hospital sources said.
"They've sealed off the entire city. It looks they want violence. There's no authority to control MQM activists," said Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah, secretary general of Supreme Court Bar Association.
The pro-government Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), was holding a rival demonstration in the city against Justice Chaudhry and what it calls the political tricks of his supporters.
Security officials said Justice Chaudhry was in the airport's VIP lounge where officials were trying to persuade him to travel into the city centre by helicopter.
Outside the airport, small groups of rival activists clashed.
Gunfire could be heard and smoke rose from burning vehicles.
Police said there had been firing into the air in several places.
"The situation is tense, very tense, but by and large, it is so far under control," said senior police officer Azhar Farooq.
"NO LAW"
Police said they did not know who had blocked the roads, virtually sealing off the airport, the High Court and much of the city centre.
But a government official, who declined to be identified, said authorities had blocked the roads in the interests of maintaining order.
Saturday has been declared a public holiday in Karachi because of the rallies and streets were largely deserted.
A spokesman for the opposition party of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif said two activists were shot dead in an attack on a party office.
About 2,500 MQM activists surrounded the High Court, witnesses said. They chanted slogans and beat several lawyers trying to get in. One lawyer said MQM activists had pulled guns on him and told him to go if he wanted to live.
"I've never seen this sort of state terrorism. There's no law," said the lawyer Mohammad Saeed Abbasi.
Thousands of paramilitary troops and police patrolled the city.
Opposition leaders said police detained hundreds of their activists on Friday. Authorities confirmed some activists had been detained.
Justice Chaudhry's visit to Karachi is the latest in a series of protests by the opposition and lawyers calling for his reinstatement.
Justice Chaudhry denies wrongdoing and has refused to resign. His supporters threw rose petals and shouted slogans as he arrived at Islamabad airport for his flight to Karachi.
The crisis has erupted in the run-up to a general election and an anticipated attempt by President Musharraf, an important US ally, to secure another term.
While Justice Chaudhry meets his supporters in Karachi, President Musharraf is due to hold a rally Islamabad. He has called for Justice Chaudhry's case to be settled by the courts and criticised lawyers for politicising it.
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