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Demand to reinstate Justice Chaudhary

ISLAMABAD: Buoyed by the election result that has routed the Pakistan Muslim League (Q), President Musharraf’s main political ally, the legal community on Thursday came out in force to demand the reinstatement of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary and the restoration of the other deposed judges.

Visibly re-energised by the victory, more than 100 lawyers and civil society representatives marched through a main street in the capital to the deposed Chief Justice’s home, shouting “Your show is up, Musharraf, go Musharraf, go Musharraf.”

Eminent educationist AH Nayyar, a participant in the protest, said it was more important now than ever not to let the movement flag. “We want to stay as long as we can and try to push our political parties to restoring the Chief Justice, because not all of them are committed to the demand,” said Mr. Nayyar. “They are being bribed, coerced and blackmailed into agreeing with a pro-Musharraf arrangement.”

The visit by Mr. Zardari to the U.S. Embassy on Wednesday has triggered speculation that Washington is putting pressure on him against a confrontation with General Musharraf.

Stopped by riot police at the barricades, the lawyers attacked a convoy of military vehicles as it swept into a nearby government guest house, beating the vehicles with the sticks of their banners, and shouted slogans against the military.

As the protesters pushed and shoved at the barricades, Mr. Sharif, admired in the legal community for his position on the judiciary, showed up in his black bullet proof four wheel drive without warning.

His arrival electrified the atmosphere. Protesters shouted “Dekho dekho kaun aaya, sher aaya, sher aaya” – the lion is here – a reference to his election symbol.

Emerging from the vehicle to address the protesters, Mr. Sharif expressed solidarity with the lawyers and made it clear there would be no change in his position on the restoration of the judiciary.

“The day will soon come when we will personally escort Chief Justice Ifthikhar Chaudhary and all the other deposed judges to the Supreme Court,” he said.

In an interview to The News, Mr. Chaudhary said he would march to his office in the Supreme Court the moment he was freed, and if was stopped, he would hold court in the open along with the other judges who refused to take a new oath under the November 3 provisional constitutional order.

Mr. Chaudhary said he was in contact with the more than 50 judges were deposed on November 3.

He categorically said he would not accept any condition attached to his release from house arrest, which started on November 3.

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