The Hindu : Front Page : Chaudhary resumes office, reinstates sacked Registrar

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Sunday, Jul 22, 2007
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Chaudhary resumes office, reinstates sacked Registrar

Bhagwan Das calls on Chief Justice, holds talks

Islamabad: Pakistan’s Chief Justice Iftikhar M Chaudhary, reinstated by the Supreme Court after his two-month suspension, has restored the apex court’s Registrar, who was also removed following the Presidential reference against him, in his first order after resuming duties.

Soon after the Supreme Court ruling on Friday, Justice Chaudhary resumed his duties and transferred the present Registrar, Muhammad Ali. He replaced Mr. Ali with Faqir Hussain, who was removed after Mr. Chaudhary’s suspension on March 9.

Another Registrar, Hamad Raza, who was also close to Mr. Chaudhary, was killed in mysterious circumstances after the judge’s suspension. While Mr. Raza’s death was termed by his family as a targeted killing, police said he was murdered by dacoits.

Lawyers close to Mr. Chaudhary said he would formally start going to office from Monday, which would also be observed as the “Thanksgiving Day” by lawyers’ organisations all over the country for his reinstatement. Justice Rana Bhagwan Das, who headed the apex court during Mr. Chaudhary’s suspension period, met the Chief Justice at his residence and congratulated him on his reinstatement.

Justice Das, the only Hindu judge to have risen to the post of the acting Chief Justice in Pakistan, discussed with Mr. Chaudhary matters of mutual interest, media reports here said. Justice Das’ deft management of the crisis and quick decisions to constitute benches to handle Mr. Chaudhary’s case won praise from the lawyers’ community.

Jubilant crowds celebrated the Chief Justice’s reinstatement, a verdict also hailed by Washington.

Thousands of lawyers and Opposition activists also took to the streets of major cities Karachi, Lahore and Multan on Saturday in more jubilant rallies, chanting “Go, Musharraf Go!” and calling for free and fair elections. “Our struggle for the cause of true democracy, rule of law and supremacy of the Constitution will continue,” said Zulfikar Bukhari, head of Lahore’s main lawyers’ group as some 3,000 people rallied in the Punjab capital. — Agencies

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