Aitizaz breaks police siege, detention extended
Bureau Report

LAHORE—President Supreme Court Bar Association Barrister Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan came out of his residence breaking siege of police on the eve of “Youm-e-Iftikhar and on the other hand government of Punjab had notified extension for one month further in his detention order. Lawyers and representatives of civil society assembled there during police bids for showing notification but the protesters tore up the papers.
Punjab government Thursday extended the detention order of President Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Aitazaz Ahsan for another one month. Aitzaz was arrested on November 4 last from his Islamabad office after the imposition of the state of emergency and has been in detention since then.
Deputy Superintendent Camp Jail Shabraiz Khan visited the residence of Aitazaz Ahsan at Zaman Park here this evening and handed over the detention order to Aitazaz Ahsan. However, he denied to receive the order and said that it is a fax copy and demanded the original copy of the order. Ahsan’s residence has been declared a sub-jail for the last 90 days. Aitzaz Ahsan told he had come out of his home legally on expiry of his detention and not in violation of detention orders. “My detention period expired on last night. Keeping me in detention more is illegal and unconstitutional”, he added. Aitzaz Ahsan broke up police siege and started moving towards press club. The lawyers continued chanting anti government slogans.
Talking to media persons, Aitzaz Ahsan said police men deployed out side his home had no detention orders or his arrest warrants with them. “I am now free legally and constitutionally. Police cannot keep a freed person detained. I ask police I want to go to Zaman Park located nearby my home. But police is restraining me to do so”, he indicated
Aitizaz said police were saying his detention had been extended for one month more. But they had no written orders in this respect. Government could not keep any person detained more than 90 days constitutionally. If it wants to do so then it has to obtain formal orders from superior courts”, he added. “ They should show me orders if issued by superior courts in this respect”, he added.
Lawyers would continue their ongoing anti government movement, he said adding “ we are ready to render every sacrifice for the independence of judiciary and reinstatement of deposed judges. “ Today is my first day of freedom. No power on the earth can snatch this right illegally and unconstitutionally”, he announced. Talking to a private TV channel home secretary Punjab Khusroo Pervez Khan said detention of Aitzaz Ahsan had been extended and notification issued in this regard.
Meanwhile commenting on the extension the attorney general of Pakistan, Malik Abdul Qayyum has declared the recent extension of house arrest of Chaudhry Aitizaz Ahsan as illegal and un-constitutional. While talking to a Private TV channel, the Attorney general said that Aitizaz Ahsan had already completed his house arrest, and clarified that only a review board formed under the Chief Justice and three judges could extend any house arrest, with a duration of more than 90 days. Thousands of Pakistani lawyers burned effigies of President Pervez Musharraf during nationwide protests Thursday to press for the release of the country’s deposed chief justice, witnesses said.
A group of retired Pakistani military officers meanwhile urged Musharraf to step down and hand over power to Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, who has been under house arrest since Musharraf sacked him on November 3.
In Islamabad, hundreds of attorneys in black suits torched a small cloth dummy of Musharraf outside Chaudhry’s residence and chanted “Death to Musharraf” and other slogans. Separately around 3,000 lawyers, joined by members of former cricketer Imran Khan’s opposition political party and hundreds of hardline Islamists, also burned an effigy of the president in the eastern city of Lahore.