Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, whose suspension by Musharraf has sparked a political crisis, also wanted spy chiefs to feed him with information about other judges, Major General Nadeem Ijaz said in an affidavit.

The sworn statement was one of three filed in the Supreme Court on Thursday by officials who were present when military ruler Musharraf ousted Chaudhry from his position on March 9, alleging misconduct.

The statements are the government's response to Chaudhry's claim that he was intimidated by Musharraf and military generals who wanted him to resign, but that he refused.

Ijaz, whose organisation is one of Pakistan's three main spy agencies, said that Chaudhry asked him to come for a meeting a few months ago at which he started discussing the internal political situation.

"He was of the view that the president should dissolve the assemblies as they were becoming a nuisance and hold elections under the CJP (Chief Justice of Pakistan)," Ijaz said in the affidavit, a copy of which AFP has seen.

In Pakistan the president must dissolve parliament and the senate before calling elections, which are held under an interim administration.

"He wanted me to assure all concerned that he will make things very smooth" once he was put in power, Ijaz said.

He said Chaudhry "used to task him on a regular basis to provide information on judges ... so he could build a database for his own reference."

Musharraf's chief of staff, Lieutenant General Hamid Javed, and Intelligence Bureau director retired Brigadier Ijaz Shah also filed statements on Thursday.