Lawyers decline restoration proposal sans deposed CJ

SUKKUR—President Supreme Court Bar (SCB) Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan has said no proposal of Aiwan-e-Sadr on reinstatement of deposed judges minus chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry is acceptable at any cost.
He said this while talking to the journalists after his meeting with lawyers in Sindh High Court Bar here Friday.
“We have set limit of 30 days for the sake of democracy. We will wait for it as the dispensation of justice can not be ensured without independent judiciary”, he underlined.
The reconciliation efforts being made by PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari can yield positive results, he held. Consultations initiated with MQM were also part of this process, he added. The reservations of Mian Nawaz Sharif and Asfandyar Wali will be taken into consideration too as they both are key partners of coalition government, he added. No one should remain under any delusion that ruling alliance will disintegrate, he underscored.
The ongoing lawyers movement for restoration of judges has neither slowed down nor has it been discontinued, he announced. The deposed judges will however not address any bar till the expiry of 30 days time frame, he told.
“I will contest the elections at every cost if PPP gives me ticket in by polls, he declared.
Vice president SCB, Imdad Ali Awan, member PPP central executive committee, Islam ud Din Sheikh and general secretary district bar Sukkur Shafqat Rahim were also present on the occasion.
The former Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court, Wajehuddin Ahmad has cautioned that the ruling elute would carry out their conspiracies against the reinstatement of Judiciary. While addressing the meeting of the District Bar Association, and talking to journalists later on, he said that as a temporary stunt, political organizations and Judges who had taken oath under PCO could also be utilized. He accused President Musharraf of using PML-Q for his political goals, and said that he (Musharraf) was also using MQM for realization of his nefarious goals, and berated Musharraf for having an unbecoming character as a Muslim and a patriotic Pakistani.
He also lauded the lawyer community for their relentless and zealous movement and cautioned prudent political forces against hostile elements.
He said that movement for reinstatement for Judiciary was actually a movement for rights of masses and supremacy of law, and urged masses, Ulema, civil societies, labors, students and others to join in whole heartedly to promote freedom and justice.
He lauded the lawyers’ community of Faislabad for their active participation in movement for restoration of Judiciary, and urged them to assist those who lacked justice and were rather the victims. Addressing the event of inaugural of a religious Monthly, Justice Wajehuddin said that no country could ever progress without an independent and impartial judiciary, and neither could there be ever peace and harmony in any such society.
He also stressed on saving the Country from those conspiring against the federation and as an excuse to prolong their rule under the false and far-fetched pretext of Mullah Omar, Sufi Muhammad of Swat and others, and perpetuating bloodshed in Afghanistan.
He also urged on a comprehensive understanding and implementation of teachings of The Holy Quran, rather than merely reciting it.

—Agencies