Lawyers in the city mark ‘Iftikhar Day’
Chief Justice praised for his bravery, movement for democracy hailed.
LAHORE:
Lawyers, on Wednesday, marked ‘Iftikhar Day’ to condemn the suspension of the Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry by former president General Pervez Musharraf on March 9, 2007. Lawyers hoisted black flags at bar rooms and held general house meetings. A large number of lawyers participated in the Lahore High Court Bar Association’s (LHCBA’s) general house meeting. LHCBA president Asghar Ali Gill said that Justice Chaudhry had refused to bow to the command of the military dictator and stood fast for the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary. His bravery and impartiality.
Gill appealed to the SC to decide the cases regarding the 18th and 19th constitutional amendment expeditiously so the vacuum created after the denial of confirmation to some ad hoc judges could be filled with new appointments. For dispensation of prompt justice, judges needed to be appointed, he said.
Former LHCBA president Ahmed Awais said that the SC chief justice had shown courage in standing up to the dictator’s vested interests. The justice, he said, had set a precedence which was appreciated world over.
Former LHCBA president Malik Saeed Hasan said that the public had high hopes from the judiciary but unfortunately the judiciary was currently entangled in some problems. He demanded that the Judicial Commission appoint judges regardless of their political affiliation.
The Judicial Activism Panel (JAP) also held a meeting to mark ‘Iftikhar Day’. JAP chairman Muhammad Azhar Siddique said that the government was not obeying the orders of the courts which was condemnable.
The Supreme Court Bar Association, Lahore Bar Association, Punjab Bar Association and Pakistan Bar Association organised no activity in connection with ‘Ifikhar Day’.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 10th, 2011.
Lawyers, on Wednesday, marked ‘Iftikhar Day’ to condemn the suspension of the Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry by former president General Pervez Musharraf on March 9, 2007. Lawyers hoisted black flags at bar rooms and held general house meetings. A large number of lawyers participated in the Lahore High Court Bar Association’s (LHCBA’s) general house meeting. LHCBA president Asghar Ali Gill said that Justice Chaudhry had refused to bow to the command of the military dictator and stood fast for the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary. His bravery and impartiality.
Gill appealed to the SC to decide the cases regarding the 18th and 19th constitutional amendment expeditiously so the vacuum created after the denial of confirmation to some ad hoc judges could be filled with new appointments. For dispensation of prompt justice, judges needed to be appointed, he said.
Former LHCBA president Ahmed Awais said that the SC chief justice had shown courage in standing up to the dictator’s vested interests. The justice, he said, had set a precedence which was appreciated world over.
Former LHCBA president Malik Saeed Hasan said that the public had high hopes from the judiciary but unfortunately the judiciary was currently entangled in some problems. He demanded that the Judicial Commission appoint judges regardless of their political affiliation.
The Judicial Activism Panel (JAP) also held a meeting to mark ‘Iftikhar Day’. JAP chairman Muhammad Azhar Siddique said that the government was not obeying the orders of the courts which was condemnable.
The Supreme Court Bar Association, Lahore Bar Association, Punjab Bar Association and Pakistan Bar Association organised no activity in connection with ‘Ifikhar Day’.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 10th, 2011.