Deposed judges emerge from house detention
By Saad Saud/Agencies

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE—The house arrest of five deposed judges of Supreme Court of Pakistan has been ended following directives of the newly elect Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani here on Monday evening. These judges included Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramdey, Justice Falak Sher, Justice Syed Jamshaid Ali, Justice Ejaz Ahmed and Justice Tasaddaq Jillani.
The police contingents who had been posted at the houses of deposed judges including Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramdey and Justice Falak Sher were removed and now the deposed judges are free to go any where. Deposed Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramdey soon after the removal of police contingents from his residence offered evening (Maghrib) prayer in the nearby mosque and also met with the people and lawyers who gathered to see him.
While addressing the mediamen at his residence, the deposed Justice Khalil Ramdey said his release was possible by the continuous struggle of the lawyers and people of the country. “It is a right but first step to the right direction that is not for my job but is also related to the millions of the people of Pakistan” he added. Khalil Ramdey thanked the lawyers and civil society for the struggle of judges’ restoration. To a question he said that the judges would like to work in their offices by the law and with honour.
Deposed Chief Justice, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has said that reinstatement of all deposed judges is necessary for the independence of judiciary. He said that he is great thankful to the outstanding struggle and efforts of lawyers, civil societies and media for supporting them for their justified right.
Spokesman of the Chief Justice, Athar Min Allah Advocate Supreme Court after meeting with the Chief Justice told journalists that his meeting with Chief Justice was very cordial and held in good atmosphere. He said that our struggle is for the restoration of constitution and deposed judges. He also paid tribute to the 16 million people of Pakistan.
He also requested the member of the civil societies, lawyers and journalists to maintained the decorum of the residence of Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and dispersed their rally peacefully and wait for today. He also called upon the masses to gather outside the merit hotel in order to celebrate the reinstatement today. Meanwhile, rose petals were showered over deposed Chief Justice, while he appeared in the balcony of his house alongwith his family and associates and sweets were distributed among the participants of the rally. Hundreds of people expressed their great joy and fervor and were dancing at the beats of traditional drums.
The deposed former CJ of Supreme Court, Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday has lauded the immediate release of arrested judges. While talking to journalists, after being released from a long arrest due to immediate orders issued by Yousaf Raza Gillani, he said that even as ordinary citizens of Pakistan, the house arrest of judges without any salaries was a shameful act, but their conscience was satisfied, since they had at least not compromised over principles.
“Whatever we did was in accordance with tenets of Quran and Sunnah and aspirations of masses, and we should all bow our heads to God Almighty in Thanks and regards”. He maintained. He vowed to sacrifice even a thousand such posts, and such that the issue was now well beyond mere reinstatement, and said that the entire movement was carried out by lawyers, civil societies, and masses, who have the ultimate right to decide the kind of judiciary and judges they want.