Lawyers begin Long March for judges restoration • 06.09.08
Various political parties announced to participate in the March being taken out from Karachi and Quetta.The lawyers in great number and workers of various political parties started to arrive at Quaid’s mausoleum, from where they will set out for Islamabad on buses and coaches. A large rally comprising hundreds of lawyers appeared from Sindh High Court, on this occasion, massive traffic jam was witnessed at MA Jinnah Road.
Also, the rallies from all three bars Karachi Bar, Malir Bar and Sindh Bar reached at Quaid’s mausoleum.
The lawyers rally arrived at Quaid’s mausoleum, where it was received with rousing slogans, after which the caravan of lawyers left for Sohrab Goth at 1045am headed by former Supreme Court Bar President Muneer A Malik.
JI General Secretary Munawwar Hussain will address the lawyers’ rally at Super Highway.
A lawyers rally in Sanghar is all geared up to leave for Sukkar. Another large rally of lawyers is starting its journey of Long March from Quetta, headed by Ali Ahmed Kurd, who will address the rally in Sukkar. Kurd said his caravan will go through Darra Bolan to Sibbi, Jackobabad, Dera Murad Jamali, where lawyers and civil society representatives will receive them and join the rally on its route to Islamabad.
Meantime addressing a press conference in Lahore, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Chaudhry Aitezaz Ahsan issued the details regarding the Long March routes and the participation of the deposed Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry.
He said the Long March will appear from the Sindh High Court attended by a large number of civil society representatives, lawyers and workers of political parties.
He said the PCO judges would not be invited, as lawyers and people do not believe them the judges.
Chaudhry Aitezaz Ahsan said President Pervez Musharraf should not be given the safe passage, adding he should be tried in free judiciary against his illegal measures.
Addressing a meeting of lawyers early today’s morning, Justice (rtd) Sabihud Din said no society can survive without a free judiciary. Justice (rtd) Fakhrud Din G Ibrahim said the lawyers’ Long March was the need of time.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan said the millions of his party workers will give rousing welcome to the deposed Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry on his arrival everywhere.
His workers have completed all the arrangements to give unprecedented reception to the deposed CJP on his arrival in the federal capital.
Talking to ARY One World in London, he said he would continue his legal action against Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), adding the negotiations in this connection are underway.
Imran Khan said President Pervez Musharraf deems that US President George W Bush will come to his rescue; however, the people will bring him to book.
Imran Khan alleged that Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari is putting at stake the future of the country and the nation to save his collar, as he is under NRO forced to keep Musharraf in his office.
Commenting on PPP-PML-N alliance, PTI chief said Nawaz is going along with Asif Zardari and it will at last prove detrimental to the former.
Also, Jamaat Islami announced its schedule for participation in the Long March. Addressing a press conference, JI Deputy Secretary General Fareed Pracha said the party workers will come along with the lawyers from various areas of Karachi today, from the Interior Sindh on June 10 and from Punjab they would come forward to participate in the Long March.
Also, the JI workers will set up reception stalls at various points on the route of Long March across the country.
Expressing solidarity with the lawyers for the restoration of the judiciary and the supremacy of the parliament, scores of former diplomats announced to take part in the Long March.
The diplomats said the UN inquest in Benazir Bhutto’s assassination is in not in national interest.
Addressing a news conference in Islamabad, the diplomats said the government failed in restoring the deposed judges and Murree Declaration could not be implemented.
The diplomats including Shamshad Ahmed Khan, Akram Zaki and Riaz Khokhar said Musharraf’s November 3 steps were unconstitutional which jeopardized the prestige of Pakistan in foreign world.
They asserted that an executive order is enough for the judges restoration. The former diplomats rejected the constitutional amendments regarding the judges restoration, adding Musharraf is an unconstitutional president.
Deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was warmly welcomed when he reached Peshawar to participate in Lawyers’ forum on Saturday night, private tv reported Rose petals were showered on deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry throughout his journey from Islamabad to Peshawar. Hundreds of enthusiastic activists of different political parties, people from civil society and lawyers chanting “Go Musharraf go,” slogans escorted the deposed chief justice. Deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary administrated oath to newly elected office bearers of Peshawar High Court Bar Association. Till filing this report, senior lawyer Ali Ahmed Kurd was report, senior lawyer Ali Ahmed Kurd was making very emotional speech. On his way to Peshawar city, Chaudhry stayed at Taxila, Kamra and Attock. Addressing the members of Attock Bar Association on Saturday evening, the deposed chief justice said that the supremacy of Constitution and of law in the country would be maintained at all cost. He observed that the legal fraternity could make their ongoing movement successful by following golden principals of unity, faith and discipline given by the founder of the nation. “I am sure the issue of judiciary’s independence will be resolved in line with principles of the Quaid-e-Azam”. He predicted that the time was not far when everyone would be performing his duties and that the success of journey, which they had started on March 9, 2007, was at a short distance. Deposed CJP declared those talking about the gains of this movement should understand that the lawyers would not give up their movement for any creed. “The conspiracies aimed to divide lawyers will be foiled”, he determined, adding “lawyers have changed map of the country after March 9″. Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry cautioned now, no violator of the Constitution would be spared from punishment. In his address, lawyer leader Ali Ahmed Kurd, said no one could face the legal community in their what he called ‘war for uphold of Constitution and supremacy of law’. “Our training is democratic, and we want justice be made and injustices be ended”, he explained. He alleged the dictator had violated the Constitution and law. Munir A. Malik, Rana Afsar Ali Khan, Sheikh Ehsanuddin advocate and others also spoke. Former federal ministers Malik Amin Aslam and J Salak, MNA Sheikh Aftab Ahmed, office-bearers of different bar associations and members of civil society were also present.
The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar has said the judiciary was primarily responsible for resolving controversies and disputes within the framework of the Constitution and the law in a timely and fair manner. Addressing the inaugural ceremony of District Court Complex and foundation-stone laying ceremony of a new building for District Bar Association, Khairpur, on Saturday, he said we have to ensure effective functioning of administration of justice in the country with a view to fulfilling the commands of the Constitution.He further said the lawyers play an extremely crucial role in the functioning of the administration of justice adding that the legal profession was prerequisite to effective functioning of judiciary.He said the members of the Bench and Bar are two wheels of the chariot of justice and both of them profess and follow the common objective of administration of justice. A strong and committed Bar is indispensable for a strong judiciary as rule of law is the life-line of the Constitution and democracy.It is not possible he said to visualise the rule of law in the society with out a strong and independent judiciary. The impartiality and neutrality are foremost requisites of an independent judiciary, he added.Let every body strive and ensure that judiciary is allowed to perform its functions with complete impartiality and neutrality. It should be our individual as well as collective effort to deliver goods by making optimum utilisation of the available resources.Dogar said with the construction of the Courts Complex, the district judiciary of Khairpur has got proper court rooms and allied facilities.This would provide them with a better working environment and facilitate them in proper discharge of their duties, he said.Dogar also congratulated the “Access to Justice Programme (AJP)” Sindh Chapter for successfully completing the project. Giving details of completed schemes under Access to Justice Programme (AJP) Management Unit Islamabad, the Chief Justice said 386 computers have been provided for subordinate courts in Sindh at a cost of Rs two crore and 90 lac, laptops have been provided to the Judges of High Courts of Sindh at a cost of Rs 3 crore and 3 lac, Rs one crore and 80 lac have been spent on improving the computer net working, hardware and software at Sindh High Court, Law Books have been purchased for Judicial Officers at a cost of Rs one crore.Nearly Rs 10 crore have been spent on construction of 11 new Court Buildings including 3 sheds in Malir and 3 new Courts Buildings in Karachi District Central, Judicial Complex phase-I Hyderabad has been constructed at a cost of nearly Rs 8 crore, and a Court Complex at Naushahroferoze has also been constructed at a cost of more than Rs 9 crore.The Chief Justice also gave details of 12 ongoing schemes being under-taken in Sindh under the same programme.He advised the lawyers’ community to remain committed to the profession and that professional excellence should be their goal. He said residential problems of the lawyers community also needed to be solved on priority basis. The Bar Associations may chalk-out programmes of housing societies and he would ask the Federal and Provincial Governments to provide funds for acquisition of land and other allied facilities.Earlier, Chief Justice of High Court of Sindh, Justice Azizullah A. Memon, Justice Munib Ahmed Khan, Member Sindh Bar Council, Shafi Muhammad Chandio and President District Bar Association Syed Bachal Shah spoke on the occasion. Dogar was warmly welcomed by the lawyers’ community at Sukkur Toll Plaza while he was on his way to Khairpur in the morning. Rose petals were showered on him and he was garlanded by the people on the occasion.
PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Friday said the proposed constitutional package is in final stage and would be tabled in the Parliament after a thorough phase of deliberations with all stakeholders.”We would take all the like-minded parties including PML-N onboard on the package and, later, present it before media for a final debate,” Zardari said. He was addressing a news conference after a meeting of Socialist International Asia-Pacific Committee, flanked by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman and Secretary General of the Committee Luis Ayala.Zardari said the Minister for Law and Justice Farooq H. Naek was scheduled to meet him for approval of the draft of the package and later their party would seek consultations with its political allies including PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif and other leaders.Zardari while replying to a question on the resignation of President Musharraf said, “Whenever our Parliament and people of Pakistan would desire, he would go.” “You (media) have freedom of expression but politics is our profession, let us do it, we will not disappoint the nation, come up to their expectations and strengthen the democracy,” he added. Zardari said PPP will follow the guidelines set by Benazir and was committed to moving forward towards destination of complete democracy through dialogue. “Dialogue is the best option to resolve the conflicts. Our leader Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah got an independent country through dialogue with Lord Mountbatten,” the Co-Chairman added.”I respect sentiments of my political allies particularly PML-N and want to go ahead along with them. I want support of my friends and support them,” he said, adding PPP is a mature party which had rendered sacrifices for democracy, so we will not stop on this crucial turn.Answering a question, PPP Co-Chairman said he did not believe in any ascending or descending counting for resolution of prevailing political or judicial crisis.When asked about the long march of lawyers headed by Aitzaz Ahsan, he said PPP would welcome the march in Islamabad as PPP believes in democracy and wants to maintain democratic norms.He said a delegation is being sent to the Untied States to convince the US administration to support Pakistan overcome its food crisis through supply of wheat free of cost.Zardari said economic and internal crisis may give non-democratic forces an opportunity to take over, “but it does not mean that we are unable to handle the crisis.” PPP government had resolved the crisis through comprehensive strategies in the past as well and will do the same in future, he added.Zardari asked Socialist International to support PPP’s demand for the UN probe in Benazir Bhutto’s assassination and said already a request has been sent to the UN and a meeting has been sought with the UN Secretary General for moving forward the process.He thanked Socialist International for its support for democracy in all parts of the world in general and for Pakistan in particular. Zardari recalled that Benazir had always been a regular speaker at the conferences of the Socialist International. He said that the PPP government was fully aware of the hardships that the masses were facing because of the food inflation and high oil prices and assured that despite the economic pressures the upcoming budget will be poor and business friendly. He said to introduce targeted subsidies a card based system was being introduced. The card named ‘Benazir Card’ will be given to the poorest of the poor and they will be able to shop on those cards and the subsidy amount will be automatically transferred to those accounts every month.Referring to the democratic struggles going on in the world, he said quite recently the parliament in Nepal had voted to put an end to monarchy that was the predominant system there for 239 years.PPP Co-Chairman said he also had a vision to bring a change in the system through the parliament and eulogized the struggle and sacrifices of the Burma’s opposition leader Aung San Sui Kyi for the democratic rights of the people of Burma.He announced that a delegation of PPP and the government of Pakistan will travel to Burma to express solidarity with her, adding that PPP’s government will use all available diplomatic means to help her.He reminded that Sui Kyi children’s have been kept away from their mother for the last five years and demanded that she should be allowed to see her children.On the occasion, Luis Ayala said gradually it is being realized all over the world that governments have to be socially responsible and those who have failed to understand had lost elections in a number of countries.He thanked people of Pakistan for hosting the Asia Pacific Committee Meeting and said sharing of experiences help us understand each other.He said those who believe in social democracy need to support each other so that responsible governance can be strengthened all across the world.
The deposed Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry will address a lawyers convention today at Peshawar High Court. All related security arrangements have been completed in the Peshawar city.On the occasion of arrival of the deposed CJ Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, various political parties are setting up their reception stalls in Peshawar.The lawyers announced to receive Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry in Taxila and Attock as well.All security arrangements have been finalized to welcome the deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary at Attock district scheduled to arrive today.During his visit, the deposed CJ will address at District Bar Association (DBA) Attock.All necessary arrangements have been made to provide full security to the deposed CJ, acting DPO Attock Raja Hasan Akhtar said.Meanwhile, the members of DBA vowed to continue struggle for the restoration of deposed judges, rule of law and independence of judiciary in the country.
President Supreme Court Bar Association Aitizaz Ahsan has said he will participate in many long marches till the restoration of deposed judges.Addressing during a ceremony at Karachi he said he will never leave his struggle before the restoration of judges.Aitizaz Ahsan claimed that lawyers community is struggling for economic and social justice, they wants a welfare state, not a security state. On this occasion an award presented to Aitizaz Ahsan.Speaker Sindh Assembly Nisar Khoroo also attended the ceremony. 
PML-N leader Mian Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday said his party wants the restoration of judges according to Murree Declaration. “It will be unfortunate if the judges are not restored as per the Murree Declaration”, he said in his brief chat with the newsmen here at the inauguration of Saudi embassy. To a question about his meeting with PPP co-chairman Asif Zardari at Punjab House, Nawaz said they discussed “important national matters”.
Co-chairman Pakistan People’s Party Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League-N Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif in their maiden meeting after London talks would discuss the proposed constitutional package today (Tuesday). Both leaders would discuss the proposed constitutional package and national political situation in the meeting, likely to be held at Punjab House at 4 pm today, sources said. Mian Nawaz Sharif has reached Islamabad for the meeting.
NWFP government will provide VIP security to deposed chief justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry on the occasion of May 31 lawyers convention in Peshawar. Provincial Minister of Law Arshad Abdullah in a press conference here said the government would arrange VIP security for deposed chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry during May 31 lawyers convention in Peshawar.He said the NWFP government backs restoration of the deposed judges.It is recalled the NWFP government had earlier refused to provide official protocol to the deposed chief justice.
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