Pakistan lawyers press call to reinstate judges

by Sanjay Jha | November 3, 2008 at 11:43 pm

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The lawyers’ movement in Pakistan that started after the suspension of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry last year turned into a mass movement after Pervez Musharraf ambushed judiciary on this day of the last year, sacked 43 judges under the PCO, tortured and threw thousands of protesting lawyers behind the bars in a failed attempt to silence their voice.

After failing to achieve their demands the Lawyers have threatned more anti-government protests if their demands are not met. At a mass rally of lawyers in Rawalpindi held to mark the anniversary, Ousted chief Justice Chaudhry called the declaration of the emergency law last year.

Deposed chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Monday held three persons responsible for the imposition of what he called martial law on November 3, 2007 in the country and removal of 60 superior court judges, including him.

“There are three main characters of the sordid drama, including former president Pervez Musharraf, former prime minister Shaukat Aziz and a third person,” he said but did not disclose the third name leaving it to an appropriate time.

Iftikhar Chaudhry said he could not disclose classified information on the occasion but share some unclassified things with the audiences.Addressing a huge gathering of lawyers, civil society members, and leaders and workers of political parties here at the District Courts, he said, “I am confidentthat the present assembly will not endorse this martial law.”

Lawyers in Rawalpindi/Islamabad observed Black Day on the first anniversary of the imposition of emergency rule by former president Pervez Musharraf on November 3, 2007 as elsewhere in the country.

He said that attorney general Malik Muhammad Qayyum tried again and again to meet him as the special spokesman of Musharraf, but he never obliged him. He said the martial law of November 3, 2007 was totally different from previous martial laws in the country.

He said the government, the opposition, lawyers, politicians and other sections of the society wanted rule of law, supremacy of the Constitution and independence of the judiciary in the country.