Long march imminent, if judges not restored: Aitzaz
Protesting lawyers clash with police

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE—President Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Aitzaz Ahsan has said that long march is must if new parliament would not restore the deposed judges within shortest possible time. Addressing a press conference here on Monday at his residence, he said the march had not been cancelled but delayed because the lawyers wanted to solve the issue peacefully.
“Although the restoration of judges by an executive order is very simple solution but we gave a short time period to the new parliament in this regard because we do not want to create disturbance for new government which is elected by public mandate”, he added. Aitzaz Ahsan also urged the media to come forward to support the lawyers’ movement and he also appreciated its role in this regard.
SCBA President said that he alongwith other lawyers who were detained by the government will file case for damages worth billions of rupees against the responsible authorities across the country. Aitzaz criticised the behaviour of police officials posted at the residencies of deposed judges in Islamabad and alleged that the authorities there was violating the fundamental rights of the judges’ families.
“An FIR will be registered against the authorities including concerned responsible for alleged detention of deposed judges alongwith their families,” Aitzaz added. To a question he said that flexibility in courts’s boycott was decided only to facilitate the common litigants.
Aitzaz also announced the schedule of “ Black Flag Week” starting from March 09 till March 16 during which lawyers across the country would protest against the alleged government actions against the judges of superior courts. He declared March 09 as black day and said that rallies as well as general house meetings of bar associations will be held at respective places while lawyers will observe courts boycott to pressurize for the acceptance of their demands.
“We will prepare such a social contract that would ensure not only the independence of judiciary but also the supremacy of Parliament but this all is related with the restoration of deposed judges”, he concluded.
The lawyers’ community has filed a FIR against President Musharraf for illegal house arrest of deposed judges, including the deposed CJ, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. The FIR, filed by newly elected, president of Rawalpindi High Court Bar Association, Sardar Asmat ullah advocate has been accepted by duty officer of Thana Secretariat, ASI Sultan seeks action against seven high-ranking officials including President Musharraf, caretaker interior minister, secretary interior, and Chief Commissioner.
A huge crowd of lawyers’ led by Sardar Asmat ullah advocate arrived here at Thana Secretariat, to submit their application as filed by attorney for the imprisoned judges, Athar Man ullah, under criminal procedure act 154 having 14 sections. The FIR prays about illegal detention for all the deposed judges, including deposed CJ, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, whose 18-year daughter has been restricted against access to her regular education, besides his 8-year-old son. —Agencies