Pakistan's Supreme Court has plunged the country into fresh political crisis by ordering the arrest of the prime minister as part of a long-running corruption investigation.
The announcement, at a time when tens of thousands of followers of a Sufi cleric had brought the capital Islamabad to a standstill, immediately raised fears that the judiciary was part of a plot to bring down the government.
Raja Pervez Ashraf, appointed as prime minister last year, has been under investigation for his role in an alleged procurement scam.
But government supporters and analysts said the timing was no coincidence.
Fawad Chaudhry, an adviser to the prime minister, described it as a "soft coup" designed to bolster the position of Tahir-ul-Qadri, who is camped out with about 20,000 demonstrators.
"This was obviously scheduled for a time when Qadri was speaking," he said. "The only reason for it is to strengthen his mob."
He said the government was still waiting for a written warrant.
Pakistan has had a tenuous hold on democracy for the past five years, following the ousting of Pervez Musharraf, who led a military coup in 1999.
Successful elections - due to be held in the spring - would herald the first ever democratic transition in a country that has seen the generals seize power three times.
Government insiders feel they have been under near constant threat from both the military and the judiciary, which have repeatedly flexed their muscles as they grapple for influence.
Last year, Yousuf Raza Gilani was disqualified from the post of prime minister for refusing court orders to write what became known as the "Swiss letter" - a request to authorities in Switzerland to re-open corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.
He was eventually replaced by Mr Ashraf, who was already under investigation for his role in a series of electricity generating schemes.
Suspicions that a new plot to unseat the government was under way heightened at the end of last year, when Dr Qadri returned from Canada to launch a series of protests against political corruption. He is demanding that the government give way to a caretaker administration, tasked with electoral reform.
Critics questioned how a little-known cleric, who had managed only a brief stint in Pakistani politics, could suddenly command vast crowds and pay for reams of television advertising, without secret and powerful backers.
Now many in Pakistan believe that the plot has been revealed.
Talat Masood, a retired general and analyst, said the Supreme Court appeared to be acting in concert with the military and Dr Qadri to influence the formation of a caretaker set-up.
"Look at the timing. It looks like a joint move to bring the government down," he said. "The military are trying to gain influence over who is in the temporary administration."
Officials and ministers from President Zardariﾒs Pakistan Peopleﾒs Party are due to hold crisis talks with their coalition partners this afternoon.
Mr Ashraf was already under investigation when he was appointed prime minister in June last year and his appointment was only ever expected to be brief.
He was previously water and power minister, responsible for a series of controversial deals for rented electricity generating plants which failed to stem shortages. The deals resulted in allegations that he received kickbacks and the nickname Raja Rental.
That investigation resurfaced on Tuesday, when the country's chief justice, Iftikhar Chaudhry - long accused of meddling in politics - made his sensational announcement.
"The chief justice ordered that all concerned, regardless of their rank, who have been booked in the case be arrested and if someone leaves the country, then chairman of NAB (anti-corruption watchdog) will be held responsible along with his investigating team," Aamir Abbas, a lawyer, told AFP.
The announcement, at a time when tens of thousands of followers of a Sufi cleric had brought the capital Islamabad to a standstill, immediately raised fears that the judiciary was part of a plot to bring down the government.
Raja Pervez Ashraf, appointed as prime minister last year, has been under investigation for his role in an alleged procurement scam.
But government supporters and analysts said the timing was no coincidence.
Fawad Chaudhry, an adviser to the prime minister, described it as a "soft coup" designed to bolster the position of Tahir-ul-Qadri, who is camped out with about 20,000 demonstrators.
"This was obviously scheduled for a time when Qadri was speaking," he said. "The only reason for it is to strengthen his mob."
He said the government was still waiting for a written warrant.
Pakistan has had a tenuous hold on democracy for the past five years, following the ousting of Pervez Musharraf, who led a military coup in 1999.
Successful elections - due to be held in the spring - would herald the first ever democratic transition in a country that has seen the generals seize power three times.
Government insiders feel they have been under near constant threat from both the military and the judiciary, which have repeatedly flexed their muscles as they grapple for influence.
Last year, Yousuf Raza Gilani was disqualified from the post of prime minister for refusing court orders to write what became known as the "Swiss letter" - a request to authorities in Switzerland to re-open corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.
He was eventually replaced by Mr Ashraf, who was already under investigation for his role in a series of electricity generating schemes.
Suspicions that a new plot to unseat the government was under way heightened at the end of last year, when Dr Qadri returned from Canada to launch a series of protests against political corruption. He is demanding that the government give way to a caretaker administration, tasked with electoral reform.
Critics questioned how a little-known cleric, who had managed only a brief stint in Pakistani politics, could suddenly command vast crowds and pay for reams of television advertising, without secret and powerful backers.
Now many in Pakistan believe that the plot has been revealed.
Talat Masood, a retired general and analyst, said the Supreme Court appeared to be acting in concert with the military and Dr Qadri to influence the formation of a caretaker set-up.
"Look at the timing. It looks like a joint move to bring the government down," he said. "The military are trying to gain influence over who is in the temporary administration."
Officials and ministers from President Zardariﾒs Pakistan Peopleﾒs Party are due to hold crisis talks with their coalition partners this afternoon.
Mr Ashraf was already under investigation when he was appointed prime minister in June last year and his appointment was only ever expected to be brief.
He was previously water and power minister, responsible for a series of controversial deals for rented electricity generating plants which failed to stem shortages. The deals resulted in allegations that he received kickbacks and the nickname Raja Rental.
That investigation resurfaced on Tuesday, when the country's chief justice, Iftikhar Chaudhry - long accused of meddling in politics - made his sensational announcement.
"The chief justice ordered that all concerned, regardless of their rank, who have been booked in the case be arrested and if someone leaves the country, then chairman of NAB (anti-corruption watchdog) will be held responsible along with his investigating team," Aamir Abbas, a lawyer, told AFP.
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