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Illegal custody: Pakistani lawyer

ISLAMABAD: The government extended the detention of Aitzaz Ahsan, a leader of the lawyers’ movement and a prominent member of the Pakistan People’s Party, by another 30 days after the expiry of his 90-day arrest on Thursday.

Before the detention extension order was served, Mr. Ahsan tried to break out of his house arrest in Lahore and go for a walk in his Zaman Park neighbourhood, but was prevented by the police cordon around his home.

“My detention expired in the morning. I am a free man but they have kept me in illegal confinement and custody throughout the day. They have been pushing and shoving and want me to go back into my home,” he told local television. He was also blocked from going to an event at the Lahore Press Club.

He said any move to extend his detention would be “illegal” and

“unconstitutional” just like “everything the government and regime of Musharraf does.”

The maximum permissible detention of a person charged under the Maintenance of Public Order law is 90 days, and a further extension has to permitted by a review board appointed by the High Court before the expiry of this time limit.

But officials have been saying over the last few days that Mr. Ahsan was detained for one month at a time, and therefore, he has technically not served the 90-day maximum yet. Punjab Home Secretary Khusro Pervez said Mr. Ahsan’s detention had been extended to ensure “a smooth transition” towards the election.

Two other lawyers also remain under detention. The 90-day limit of Justice (retd) Tariq Mahmood and Ali Ahmed Kurd is set to expire on Friday. The continuing judicial crisis found other echoes as countrywide lawyers observed Thursday as “Ifthikar Chaudhary Day,” demanding his release.

On Wednesday, the deposed Chief Justice broke his silence over President Pervez Musharraf’s charges against him, writing a lengthy letter rebutting the allegations against him point by point.

Written in response to General (retd.) Musharraf’s detailed allegations against Mr. Chaudhary to different audiences during his Europe tour, the letter was smuggled out of his home, where he is being held under virtual house arrest with his wife and three children, and sent to the U.S., British and European Union embassies in Islamabad.

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