NRO beneficiaries reluctant to restore judges: Wajihuddin | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

NRO beneficiaries reluctant to restore judges: Wajihuddin

KARARCHI – Beneficiaries of National Reconciliation Order (NRO) are reluctant to restore all the deposed judges and want to protect the CPO judges, said Justice (R) Wajihuddin Ahmed while addressing the joint general body meeting of Karachi Bar Association (KBA) held at Shuhada-e-Punjab Hall here on Thursday.

The local lawyers observed ‘Black Flag Week’ on the fifth consecutive day and completely boycott the proceeding in Sindh High Court (SHC), City Court and District Court Malir. They also organised a joint general body meeting of the KBA, SHCBA and Malir Bar and took out a protest rally from city court to the Karachi Press Club.

Addressing the meeting, Justice (R) Wajihuddin Ahmed said that upcoming parliament should oblige the mandate of people which they had given for the restoration of deposed judges. He said the only crime of CJP Iftikhar Chaudhry was to stop the fraud privatisation of Steel Mills and he is paying the price for it. He further said the beneficiaries of National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) were not willing to restore the deposed judges and want to provide protection to the PCO-judges.

Justice (R) Wajihuddin regretted “In Pakistan, many judges are present who took oath under PCO three times and working on the doctrine of necessity.” He added that Musharraf first removed a political government through force and thrice attacked on the judiciary during the last eight years.

He applauded the ongoing struggle of lawyers saying that since 9th March 2007, black coats showed great commitment for the freedom of judiciary and presented a great example for coming generations.

Justice (R) Wajihuddin Ahmed said the restoration of deposed judges without Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry would be unacceptable.

“The present judges should be sacked in a manner similar to the one by which Musharraf removed the previous judges, restore all the deposed judges with simple majority of the parliament” he suggested.

He strongly condemned the detention of deposed judges in their houses and said that after the restoration of all the deposed judges, the people involved in this inhuman act would be punished according to the constitution. He said that people had rejected Pervez Musharraf in the recent elections and demanding his resignation.
President KBA Mehmoodul Hassan while addressing the meeting said that lawyers would continue their struggle till the restoration of deposed judges and free judiciary.
He emphasised on the unity among lawyers adding the struggle of the legal fraternity had reached near its goal and soon it would meet success.

Rashid Rizvi, President SHCBA, said that President Musharraf attacked the judiciary which severely affected the judicial norms and freedom of judiciary and 60 percent judges had been deposed through a single unconstitutional order.

He said the lawyers showed great enthusiasm since 9th March 2007 to save the freedom of judiciary. He said that mere restoration of judges would not solve the ongoing crisis as the attack on judiciary had also affected the other three pillars of the state. He said country was passing through a difficult time and its responsibility lies on the shoulders of President Musharraf.

Later, the lawyers took out a rally from city court, led by Wajihuddin Ahmed, which marched on various roads and concluded at Karachi Press Club. The members of civil society and workers of various political parties also participated in the rally.

They chanted slogans in favour of the deposed judges and against President Musharraf. Lawyers also hoisted black flags at different places.

Addressing the rally, Ameer Jamat-i-Islami Karachi, Muhammad Hussain Mehanti, assured full support to the lawyers’ movement. He said that rulers were acting on foreign agenda and using force to kill innocent people.
He added that due to wrong policies of Pervez Musharraf, the country has been plunged into war-like situation.

President Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) Khursheed Tanveer, KBA General Secretary Naeem Qureshi and President Malir Bar Zahoor Mehar also spoke on the occasion.
Source: The Nation
Date:3/14/2008