At least 27 people were killed and dozens injured in Karachi in fighting between supporters of Pakistan's suspended chief justice and pro-government activists.

Saturday's violence stems from a two-month-old heated political argument over Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry's suspension from the Supreme Court by the country's president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf.

A supporter of Pakistani opposition party runs after setting fire to a vehicle during a battle between two rival groups in Karachi on Saturday.
(Shakil Adil/Associated Press)

Rival political activists traded gunfire about one kilometre from Karachi's airport as Chaudhry arrived for the latest in a series of rallies protesting his March 9 suspension.

Roadblocks, including trucks with deflated tires apparently placed by a pro-government party, prevented most of Chaudhry's supporters from reaching the airport to greet him.

Chaudhry himself cancelled plans to attend the rally because of the street battles.

The authorities deployed about 15,000 security forces to prevent violence between the opposing rallies. Police said they arrested nearly 200 political activists on Saturday, although the opposition said the number is much higher.

Musharraf ruled out declaring a state of emergency, telling a rally in Islamabad on Saturday it's not necessary.

Chaudhry was appointed to the Supreme Court by Musharraf in 2005, but was removed after the government said it had received complaints about alleged misconduct.

Chaudhry had recently started exercising independence from the government in a number of cases involving the disappearance of terror suspects and human rights activists.

Critics accuse the president of trying to sideline Chaudhry to head off legal challenges to Musharraf's plan to seek a new five-year term in office.

In Pakistan, the president is chosen by the parliament and provincial assemblies.

Musharraf is expected to call a presidential poll before the general election due in late 2007, because the parliament is currently dominated by his supporters. That could shift after the general election.

His critics have argued that he is bound, both legally and morally, to wait until after the general election before holding the presidential poll.