Lahore: Amjad Malik Chairman APL( Association of Pakistani Lawyers(England) called on the Chief Minister Punjab Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif here on 11 April 2009 at his office at 7 Club Road, Lahore and exchanged views on the issue of independance of judiciary.

Malik congratulated him on his reinstatement as a result of a court order and appreciated the role played by him and his party on the issue of reinstatement of pre November 3 judiciary. He highlighted the issue of free health, education, and justice at the door steps of a comman man as he insisted that due to his bold stance expectations level has soared sky high and more things are required other than cheap bread to satisfy the highly charged public.

In the end He presented his book ‘Road to Democracy’ to the Chief Minsiter who thanked all expatriates in Britain for supporting Pakistan and the movemnet during long March which is the way to progress, rule of law, and prosperity.

THE day following the restoration of the Supreme Court judges in Pakistan, I was on a long taxi journey on the highway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. As luck would have it, my cab driver, Sohail, was a very engaging and personable Pakistani national from Shalimar Town in Lahore. A schoolteacher by profession, he had abandoned any hope of pursuing that career in his homeland, and had set out for the Gulf for his slice of the golden pie.

It wasn’t long before we struck up a conversation on the latest developments in his home country. Sohail was unquestionably a man of political opinions and discourse, and did not feel inhibited about speaking out his mind.

“Look Sir. I was up all night watching the long march before it was called off. What Nawaz Sharif did was for the good of Pakistan, and Zardari finally had to relent. The people that thronged the roads during the march brought pride and tears to my eyes.

“Pakistan was in danger of moving into a very volatile state had it not been for the resolute decisions of Nawaz Sharif and his supporters to call Zardari’s bluff. Even though many were prevented forcibly by joining the march, in many places, the police who were sympathetic to the cause allowed some of them to get through. All those false promises that Zardari made before were finally put to rest.”

“OK, Sohail. I understand that Nawaz Sharif snarled and Zardari blinked. But, what now? What is to happen to your country? Where does Pakistan go from here?” I asked.

“Well, first of all Sir, these crooks must be booted out of office. The people of Pakistan have shown that they are fed up with those who parade behind the curtain of martyrs. What did Benazir Bhutto do for the people, except to fatten the purses of those around her?

“And as for Musharraf, he sold his country to the Americans. Look, even now they send their spy planes to bomb our villages. Our sovereignty has been threatened, and we are under constant siege. And that corrupt Altaf Hussein who heads the MQM. Where is he now? Hiding in London, and inciting ethnic violence to create more unrest?

“Sir, you ask what will happen now. The restoration of judges will bring in a high degree of political ethics to a country whose politicians have ignored their people. Nawaz Sharif is a good man and has done a lot of good for the people. Granted, his mistake was when he tried to boot out Musharraf as army chief. But for all his faults, he is not a thief and Pakistan needs clean leaders like him at this moment. Zardari on the other hand has proven to be a man who makes false promises and we don’t need any more people like him running our country. Even when our relations were bad with India 10 years ago, it was Nawaz Sharif who took the lead and called for normalization of ties. He invited Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee to the Wagah border where both signed an agreement called the Lahore declaration. Soon, Pakistanis and Indians were exchanging visits and ties between the two countries were warming up.”

“Then why did he approve of Kargil, Sohail? That military excursion into India was done when he was in power,” I countered.

“Musharraf was the mastermind behind Kargil, Sir. He was not very happy about the peace arrangements with India, and it was through this mad adventure that he hoped to achieve a breakdown of trust. In the process, we lost over 4,000 lives. But did he care?”

“What about Prime Minister Gilani, Sohail? How do you feel about him?”

“Gilani is a good man, but has been overshadowed by Zardari. Even though I feel his conscience is clean, he cannot confront Zardari on issues he disagrees with. And that will be his undoing. His boss had become another dictator under false democratic pretenses, and unless Gilani moves, the levers of power from the president to the prime minister which is stated in our constitution, he will not last too long.”

On the return trip back to Dubai after finishing my business, it was a swarthy but gregarious Sikh, Joginder Singh who was to be my driver. And it wasn’t long before he proceeded to give me an earful on Indian politics. But that would be another story.

Written by Tariq Al Maeena Produced in Arab News

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani pledged yesterday to restore deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry and end a crackdown on activists.

Main opposition leader Nawaz Sharif welcomed what he called a historic achievement and promptly called off a “long march” that was to lay siege to the centers of power in the capital.

Gilani’s climb-down, in a dawn address to the nation, followed talks with President Asif Ali Zardari and army chief Ashfaq Pervez Kayani to end political uncertainty. “I announce today that Iftikhar Chaudhry and all other deposed judges will be reinstated from March 21, when the current chief justice retires,” Gilani said.

Zardari has come under massive domestic and foreign pressure to defuse a standoff with Sharif, who urged the masses to rise up against the government to demand that judges sacked by former President Pervez Musharraf be reinstated.

To further ease tension, Gilani said his government had decided to file a petition against the Feb. 25 Supreme Court ruling that banned Sharif and his brother Shahbaz from contesting elections.

“It is a historic day, a great day which will change the country’s destiny,” said Sharif from inside his car in Gujranwala, were he was showered with rose petals and mobbed by a sea of jubilant supporters. “Today, the nation has received very happy news. We had said that we will restore the independent judiciary, and by the grace of Allah, we have achieved it,” he said. “We are now calling off this long march,” Sharif said, following discussions with lawyers and political allies, including Imran Khan and Jamaat-e-Islami chief Qazi Hussain Ahmad.

Gilani also overturned a repressive government clampdown designed to foil the “long march,” ordering authorities to release all those arrested and declaring the immediate lifting of a ban on public demonstrations. “I want to congratulate the nation. Let us celebrate this with dignity,” said Gilani.

The prime minister later called lawyers’ leader Aitzaz Ahsan and “congratulated him on the restoration of deposed judges.”

The United States welcomed Gilani’s announcement as a move to “defuse a serious confrontation” and a “substantial step toward national reconciliation,” in a statement issued by its embassy in Islamabad.

But a spokesman for Chaudhry sounded a note of caution. “There have been so many broken promises in the past. A lot of mistrust has been created. We have to see the official notification,” Athar Minallah told reporters, stressing repeatedly that he was only expressing his own opinion.

“It’s the first time in the history of Pakistan that a movement launched by the middle class has proved successful,” said retired judge Tareq Mehmood.

Jubilant supporters waved flags and cheered outside Chaudhry’s home, and the grinning jurist briefly made an appearance on the balcony.

“No country can progress without an independent judiciary and the government — by restoring the chief justice and other judges — has also realized it, and we think it is a big success,” said Pakistan Supreme Court Bar Association chief Ali Ahmad Kurd.

Chaudhry was dismissed by Musharraf on Nov. 3, 2007, along with 60 other judges, 53 of whom have since been reinstated. The former military ruler feared the judges would declare him ineligible to contest a presidential election while in military uniform. He first fired Chaudhry in March 2007, but the judge was reinstated on a Supreme Court appeal.

Courtesy: Arab News

Yousaf Raza Gillani’s early in the morning address to the nation restoring the remaining including the Chief justice of Pakistan Mr. Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chowdhary was a sigh of relief to the nation. Alas, President Zardari’s advisors could not foresee the repercussions of his decisions not to restore CJ and imposition of Governor rule and he had to see this day. The same mistake was made of the aide of Gen. Musharraf on 9 march 2007 when they advised him to sack the very judge who was lauded by millions in the country for his fairness and bravery. In any event, in the end common sense prevailed and politics won on the day. PM’s decision to seek review of the decision of Supreme Court of 25 February 2009 is the key to promote tolerance in the state, and harmony amongst provinces. This review will also keep the little left respect of the supreme court intact too, as parliamentary action would have promoted confrontation between both. This is the victory of the whole nation which is alive and conscious of the situation it is in, and the whole nation including all section of society whether political workers, civil society, media, lawyers, and lay men, women, and children deserve to be applauded for their forbearance and free expression of their will by participating in the long march.

One must wonders that due to lack of foresightedness, the rulers provided an opportunity to the slept lion Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif to show his bravery and defiance on principles, and popularity which is devastating for the Govt at this early juncture of their 5 years slot. But it will be unjust if we forget the steadfast lawyer leadership, UN intimidated media and robust civil society with thousands of unnamed supporting characters who brought the rulers to their knees and won fruit on the day of long march. They stood on the ground like they did on 3 November 2007 at the time of emergency. Govt of Gillani deserves to be appreciated for listening and meeting public demands, respecting the will of the people as Lawyers and civil society were on streets since 9 March 2007. Army command deserves applause for nipping their lust for power when they bore patiently with the inefficiencies of our today’s rulers who blindfolded threw the nation into a turmoil and flared the hatred when the spirit of reconciliation was in the air. This is the time when Pakistani people have a chance to regroup and make this country a mirror image of the aspirations of millions of those who decided to join this new land at the time of independence in 1947 in a dream come true style by sacrificing nearly 4 million souls. Nation was jubilant in May 1998 after becoming an atomic power and now the nation has a cause to be overjoyed after seeking victory on a principled point of restoration of Chief Justice who defied a military dictator.

If the political forces wishes to move forward from the stalemate of 25 February, then implementation of ‘Charter of Democracy’ and free judiciary are they key ingredients to restore true democracy in Pakistan and this can only restrict military intervention(s) and nip the ‘law of necessity’ in the bud. 20 July 2007 when CJ was restored first, I wrote that one judge does not secure independence of judiciary but is a first step towards right direction. We saw the lawyers reaction, when necessary expectations were not met when SC gave a decision dismissing dual offices case against the Qazi Hussain Ahmed & orders were torn apart. I still hold the same view and political will, consultation and joint collaboration is required to effect this process to conclusion. The whole institution of judiciary needs to be revamped and If these dreams are to be translated in reality then spade work by Supreme Court Bar Association must start now to give a road map on crucial topics such as appointment of judges via non political and unbiased commission, non controversial non political future lawyers who in the end become judges, politics free bar, training of lawyers and judges, accountability of top judiciary, financial autonomy of top judiciary, protection of judges, and separation of administration from judiciary coupled with safe guards to prevent judiciary turning into another military style unbridled power which parallels the executive . These are the questions which needs to be addressed by Lawyer representatives so that Parliament could do positive legislation in days to come.

It was disturbing when we saw a popular political party taking similar actions what we witnessed on 12 May 2007 by a military dictator i.e imposing s.144, blocking channels, exclusion orders for certain leaders, closing borders and usage of containers are a few examples of many. Suspension basic human rights is against the law of the land and international law and Society endorsed and encouraged the freedom of expression, and tolerance as enshrined in Pakistan’s 1973 Constitution (art15,19, and 25) and nation considered the right of people of free speech as inalienable that is why they came in huge numbers when channels were blocked. The welcoming role of sensibles of PPP including Raza Rabbani, Aitzaz Ahsan, Safder Abbassi and Sherry Rehman, Minister of Information who resigned at the time when curbs against Pakistani media were directed acted like a fresh air in a very suffocated atmosphere. It is for the PPP to decide to bring those to books who were truly responsible to bring the country to a total standstill and for adverse administrative measures and imposition of Governor rule, though the public has given their verdict already.

In the current geo political situation in the country option of reconciliation with the people and political forces of Pakistan is the best route possible to curb radicalization and invasion of extremism and as current situation desires all heads of constitutional tracheotomy to observe extreme patience and wisdom and be visionary to avoid conflicts which have serious repercussions for the state of Pakistan. Government of the day must operate a policy of listen and learn and ensure implementation of the ‘Charter of Democracy’ in its letter and spirit, as that’s the dying wish an pledge to the nation of their leader of Shaheed Mohtarma BenNazir Bhuttoo, and a recipe to avoid disaster. The whole nation needs an appreciation for their patience, bravery and ruler’s mischiefs. Well done Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani early Monday morning has announced reinstatement of the deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and other judges.

“I restore the deposed chief justice and others according to the promise made by me and the President,”

Gilani said in a televised address to the nation.

The announcement, in light of the directive of President Asif Ali Zardari, met the main demand of the political parties and the lawyers community. He said “a notification to this effect is being issued now. Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry will replace Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, who retires on March 21.

Gilani said and pledged to “continue the politics of reconciliation.” The deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry was removed from service by former President Pervez Musharraf on March 9, 2007, sparking a wave of protest that led to his resignation from his office on August 18, 2008.

The prime minister also announced reinstatement of the two remaining judges of the Supreme Court and said the number of judges for the Supreme Court has already been increased through legislation to accommodate the reinstated judges.

The Prime Minister also announced that the federal government would file a review petition in the Supreme Court seeking reversal of the order of disqualification of Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif, and addressing all issues in light of the Charter of Democracy.

“I invite them to move forward along with all political forces for the implementation of the Charter of Democracy,

He asked the provincial governments to lift the Section 144 immediately and release the arrested persons. He said the PPP had made a lot of contribution to the lawyers movement and rendered numerous sacrifices. He said shaheed Benazir Bhutto had pledged to reinstate the deposed Chief Justice.

Gilani said President Asif Ali Zardari also pledged to do the same. Gilani recalled that soon after securing a heavy mandate from the parliament he had announced the release of the detained judges and also restoration of their emoluments. Prime Minister Gilani’s address followed a flurry of activities at the PM House and the Aiwan?e?Sadr. Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani also held meetings with the two leaders.

The Prime Minister said the decision was taken in consultation with the allies. Gilani also greeted Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, lawyers, political workers, and civil society on this auspicious occasion and asked them to celebrate the occasion in a befitting manner.

Earlier Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani had a meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari late Sunday night that lasted over two hours at the President House. They discussed the prevailing situation and agreed on the restoration of the judiciary as per the commitment to the nation.

It was decided that Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry will replace Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, who is retiring on March 21 and will assume the office of country’s next Chief Justice from March 22, 2009. The President said that the remaining judges of the superior court will be also reinstated.

President Zardari said that he has always maintained that the judges sacked by former President Pervez Musharraf will be reinstated, without disturbing the present judges. In the same spirit the number of judges for the Supreme Court were increased through legislation to accommodate the reinstated judges, without disturbing the present judges.

After the meeting with Prime Minister President also summoned a meeting of his political advisors to discuss the political situation. President said he will hold separate meetings with the party Central Executive Committee, the PPP candidates nominated in the previous election and the youth wing of the party for dialogue.

He also telephoned MQM leader Altaf Hussain, ANP leader Asfandyar Wali and JUI?F leader Maulana Fazalur Rehman and took them into confidence on the decisions to restore the deposed Chief Justice.

The meeting was attended by Senior PPP leader and Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Minister for Defence Ahmed Mukhtar, Advisor on Interior Rehman Malik, Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, Minister for Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan, Minister for Religious Affairs Hamid Kazmi and President’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar.

The federal capital in the past few days witnessed hectic activity as the US and British ambassadors and politicians including JUI?F leader Maulana Fazalur Rehman and ANP Leader Asfandyar Wali met the PML?N leader Nawaz Sharif and played a key role to end the crisis.

Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was appointed as the 20th Chief Justice of Pakistan by former President Gen. Pervez Musharraf on May 7, 2005. However he was suspended by Musharraf onMarch 9, 2007 and was reinstated by order of the Supreme Court on July 20, 2007.

On November 3, 2007, Chief of the Army Staff General Musharraf suspended the Constitution and declared a state of emergency. Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar was sworn in as the new Chief Justice of Pakistan and Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry was put under house arrest.-APP

LAHORE: Thousands came out on roads to join the lawyers’ long march for the reinstatement of all the deposed judges sacked in 2007. According to media reports, people of Lahore welcomed the call of Long March and overwhelmingly poured on streets defying all the barriers and containers placed overnight by the police on almost all the major arteries of the city to restrict the protesters from commencing the rallies.

Provincial government had also announced to celebrate “Basant” throughout the province on the dates coinciding with those scheduled for the march, apparently aimed to distract people’s attention from the protest movement. However, the call went in vain as Lahore cheered the marchers and echoed with anti-government slogans instead of “Bo Kata”, the traditional Basant’s catchword.

A mass rally is presently marching on the roads of outskirts of provincial metropolis in the leadership of former Prime Minister and chief of Pakistan Muslim League Mian Nawaz Sharif. It is speculated that Nawaz will address the protesters at some point and will formally announce to commence the march towards Islamabad.

Meanwhile, the central rally of Long March has left the premises of Lahore High Court and now has started its journey towards Islamabad where the organizers have announced to stage sit-in till the restoration of all the deposed judges, including Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry who was sacked by former military ruler General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf two years ago.

Former presidents of Supreme Court Bar Association Aitzaz Ahsan and Justice (Retd) Tariq Mehmood are leading the rally along with Naib Amir Jamaat-e-Islami Liaquat Baloch and other political figures. Thousands of activists of Jamaat-e-Islami, PML-N, Tehreek-e-Insaf and other opposition parties are present in the two rallies besides lawyers, civil society activists and common folks who came on streets to greet the participants of Long March.

It is likely that the two rallies will intermingle when the marchers would reach in the outskirts of Lahore. It was said that the rally would take G.T. Road for its journey to Islamabad.Surprisingly, police and other law enforcement agencies’ personnel who had completely sealed the city on Saturday night and was severally torturing, firing tear gas and detaining political activists and lawyers in the city till noon today are now offering no resistance to the Long March.

Earlier, Nawaz Sharif on Sunday noon began to lead a big procession march from his residence in Lahore defying the detention order from the government. While addressing his supporters in Lahore, Sharif demanded removal of barriers on the way to Islamabad and warned that the party workers will remove them.
Sharif said that police can not suppress the spirit behind the movement which they have launched for independence of judiciary. Sharif refused to abide by the detention order conveyed to him by the local administration.

On the other hand police clashed with the protesters in the metropolis on Sunday. It fired tear-gas shell to disperse the protesters, while the protesters threw stones to police in Lahore, the PML-N’s power center.-SANA

LAHORE: Muslim League-N Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif, while refusing to accept all government curbs for halting long march, said, “We do not accept these house arrests, the day for coming out of the house has come, taking Pakistan to its destiny has arrived today”. Addressing the workers outside his residence at Model Town on Sunday, he said that the country today has been turned into a police state and a curfew-like situation prevailing in the country, the blockades would pass by, as these could not stop.

He said that the government using vindictive tactics was itself ravaging the laws. He said that these curbs could not arrest the sentiments of the Pakistanis. Nawaz declared these courts, government orders etc were all illegal, we would not stop because of this and we not stop until taking Pakistan to its destiny.

He urged upon the administration personnel present over there to remove the blockades and not to stop any body and he warned them to remove illegal barriers. Nawaz Sharif said that Pakistan has given a call to you today once again after 1947, all should come out.-SANA

QUETTA: President Supreme Court Bar Association Ali Ahmed Kurd has said that all roads of Pakistan have been sealed, hostels have been vacated and the government has paralyzed the life all over the country. Addressing a press conference on Sunday, he said that a change has come in the country due to lawyers and civil society.

Ali Ahmed Kurd said that we are still present on roads for supremacy of the constitution and the law and will remain at the sit-in until Iftikhar Chaudhry is not restored. He said that there was no road on which heavy contingents of police were not deployed. Our companions have been arrested from all parts of the country and the lawyers were off-loaded from planes. Kurd said that the protest would not be ended by sealing the cities. Those who have become the rulers because of the lawyers are taking undemocratic steps. He said the lawyers are peaceful despite the provocative actions by the government. He stressed that a peaceful protest is our legal right and we are being deprived of this right.-SANA

ISLAMABAD: Police and paramilitary forces in Pakistan extended their crackdown against lawyers and political activists on Friday, banning rallies and arresting scores of lawyers and different political party workers.

The NWFP government ordered midnight banning public gatherings of more than four people for a month in the province. ‘We have imposed Section 144 in the district on the orders of the provincial interior ministry,’ a district coordination officer, Sahib Zada Anis, told reporters in Peshawar. According to the reports ‘More than 100 party leaders and workers were arrested in the province and House raids have increased to arrest party leaders and activists,’ said Arshad Qureshi, PML-N spokesman in the province.

In Multan, police said they had filed complaints against 150 lawyers for defying a ban on rallies, but made no arrests. Multan bar association president Mehmood Ashraf Khan said lawyers had been forced to abandon their original plans after the government crackdown and would instead march to Islamabad from their home cities. ‘We are calling off our march for the moment and going back but will try to reach Islamabad by other routes and appeal to all Pakistanis to reach Islamabad in groups or as individuals by any possible means,’ he told reporters. Some 800 activists were detained in Punjab, an official said, while dozens more were held in Peshawar, the main city in the northwest.

There are hopes for betterment because Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is pushing, President Zardari to yield ground to opposition demands, according to a presidential aide, speaking to Reuters said on condition of anonymity. President Zardari has refused to reinstate desposed Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Ch. but the presidential aide said under the proposed compromise a constitutional court and an appellate court would be set up and the deposed chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry would head one.

The government on Thursday could not stop the long march as lawyers and opposition activists kicked off their protest from Quetta and Karachi simultaneously while in the Sindh capital the police baton-charged the marchers and arrested them. Despite threats from the government, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Ali Ahmed Kurd led the long march from Quetta. Over 500 lawyers and workers of different political parties started from the District Courts at 12:00 pm. “Our long march will be peaceful, and it will culminate in sit-in on the Constitution Avenue,” vowed Ali Ahmed Kurd while delivering a speech at the start of the long march in his traditional revolutionary style.

About 1,200 personnel of Rangers are already in Islamabad for the security purpose, while sensitive areas like the Constitution Avenue, the Diplomatic Enclave, parliament, the Supreme Court and others would be heavily guarded. Sources said the government had decided to deploy paramilitary forces in the federal capital as part of its security plan to ensure foolproof security during the long march. They said 111 Brigade Commander Brigadier Fahim had met with Islamabad Chief Commissioner Kamran Lashari and discussed the security arrangements.

LAHORE: Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) former President Aitzaz Ahsan has said that he has not received any invitation for talks from the government. Talking to private TV on Friday, Aitzaz Ahsan reaffirmed that lawyers would stage a sit-in in Islamabad at any cost till the restoration of deposed chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. “I am not aware of any invitation sent to SCBA President Ali Ahmed Kurd too as I am not in contact with him,” said Aitzaz, adding that all detainees should immediately be released.

He said that talks would he held only after release of all arrested lawyers and other people. Ahsan said that rulers had backed out several time from the promises they made for the restoration of deposed judges. He further said that Prime Minister’s guarantee had not benefited us in the past too and now who would offer the guarantee.

While President Spokesman Farhatullah Babar has said that there is no substance in reports regarding proposal for the restoration of the deposed chief justice. He also clarified that no decision has been made in connection with lifting of Governor Rule in Punjab.

Meanwhile Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader Chaudhry Nisar has urged the Prime Minister to play his role to resolve the crisis situation. Talking to media in Islamabad, the PML-N leader claimed Friday that a criminal gang has been facilitated to enter in Punjab from Sindh to target the leadership of PML-N. President Zardari should hear the voice of people and must take a right decision, Nisar said. The state oppression and containers could not stop the long march, which will be held according to the schedule, he added.-SANA