‘Long March’ option still open, says Aitzaz
By Saad Saud

ISLAMABAD—President Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Ch.Aitzaz Ahsan said that option of “Long March” would remain open if all the deposed judges were not restored in accordance with Bhurban Declaration.
The President SCBA said this on Thursday while responding to questions after presiding over the meeting of the Association held in the Committee Room of the Bar Association at the premises of the Supreme Court. The SCBA held this meeting in the Supreme Court first time after November 3, Aitzaz said.
Giving details of decisions of the SCBA decision, Ch.Aitzaz said the meeting took two major decisions in the meeting with consensus of all the members of the Executive Committee. The meeting reiterated its complete confidence over the “Bhurban Declaration” and decided to extend support for its implementation, Ch. Aitzaz said.
The Executive Committee of the SCBA is hopeful for the restoration of judges according to the spirit of “Bhurban Declaration”, he said. We believe that all actions including amendments in the constitution taken by the then Gen. Pervez Musharraf were illegal and unconstitutional, he said.
The meeting also decided to take up the matter of Rs. 100 million given as grant to the Association by the government during the presidentship of Malik Muhammad Qayyum as SCBA even legal action through courts would be taken against him.
We will take the amount back form Malik Qayyum even with interest, Ch. Aitzaz said. When asked about his participation in the forthcoming bye elections, he said that he had already applied to his party PPP for ticket and it depends on the Parliamentary Board of the party.
When asked about the petition filed in the Islamabad High Court on Thursday against the proposed resolution for the restoration of judges, he said “We do not expect any such orders from the Islamabad High Court as its constitutional position is not clear as we do not accept amendments made by the President after November 3.” Meanwhile, the Secretary of the Association Ch. Amin Javaid told mediamen that the entire Executive Committee of the Association had requested Ch.Aitzaz Ahsan for taking part in the forthcoming bye elections. He also made it clear that there was no bar on lawyers for taking part in the bye elections and said lawyers could take part in the bye elections if they want.
The president of SCBA (Supreme Court Bar Association), Chaudhry Aitazaz Ahsan has clarified that the “Bhurban Declaration “ had no package for the reinstatement of Judiciary. While talking to journalists after convening the meeting of SCBA, at the Supreme Court Building on Thursday, he categorically denounced the un-constitutional steps taken on 03rd Nov, and said that the meeting was the first ever held over the premises, after being denied the permission once.
He informed that the SCBA meeting deliberated on financial matters of the bar, welfare of the employees, and other important issues.
The executive body of the Bar also made some important decisions, like seconding the “Bhurban Declaration”, according to which the deposed judiciary would/should be restored, because the Bar did not consider the deposed judiciary as deposed, rather functional.