LAHORE, Oct 22: Punjab Law Minister Rana Ijaz Ahmad and leaders of various bodies of lawyers condemned on Tuesday remarks by Supreme Court Bar Association president Hamid Khan, urging the newly elected legislators to ignore them and instead form a government of consensus to save the country from another constitutional crisis or new elections.

Hamid Khan, also a main leader of Imran Khan’s Tehrik-i-Insaaf, had in a press conference on Monday urged the members-elect not to take oath under the amended constitution.

Speaking at a press conference here at the Civil Secretariat Rana Ijaz, Punjab Bar Council vice-chairman Ramzan Chaudhry, Lahore Bar Association president Nisar A. Kausar, Pakistan Lawyers Forum chairman Muhammad Iqbal and Punjab Human Rights Commission member Saadia Khalid said if followed, the advice of Mr Khan would cause chaos in the country which no-one could afford.

They said the politicians who had been urging the government to restore democracy must avail the chance and evolve a consensus through a dialogue to form a government.

They said the government had honoured its commitment of holding election within the timeframe given by the Supreme Court and now it was the responsibility of politicians to run the democratic system which they had been so eagerly demanding.

Rana Ijaz said constitution would be restored before the oath taking of the newly elected members of assemblies. In case of their failure to form a government, the country would have to look towards the constitution which provided for new elections under these circumstances.

He said the government could also seek advice from the Supreme Court but in any case the situation to be created because of the politicians’ failure to form a government would not suit the country, he said.

The minister said the advice given by Mr Hamid Khan was unprofessional and was a misconduct. He had given a wrong advice to his clients through which he wanted to create chaos and confusion in the country, he said.

Did he want continuation of the military rule, he said, adding the military wanted to transfer power but people like Mr Khan wanted to block this. Did he want to give an indirect message to the army to stay in power, he asked.

The minister said the lawyers community would move a no-confidence motion against Mr Khan whose press conference was not attended by real representatives of lawyers like Pakistan and Punjab Bar councils chairmen, Lahore High Court and Lahore Bar associations presidents. He asked Mr Khan to show the backing of 50 lawyers to his point of view. Otherwise, he should resign.

Replying to questions, he said he and others wanted all the winning parties to evolve a consensus.

The minister said former president Rafiq Tarar must show wisdom rather than levelling allegations against the government. He accused Mr Tarar of carrying a briefcase to Quetta and said he must have resigned if he considered the October 12, 1999, action illegal rather than sticking to the presidentship under the new rule.

He also criticized ARD president Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan and said he was raising objections without having a political party or a seat in the assembly.

“We have enough material to tell stories of the Kashmir committee and of the ministership of Nawabzada’s son but we will not victimise anybody,” he said.

Ramzan Chaudhry and others said they had personally monitored the elections and found them free, fair and impartial. The ball was in the court of politicians who should show magnanimity and form a government that could resolve problems of the people and the country.

He said if the politicians failed to do so, the country would have another constitutional crisis and the people only regrets. Though no party had won even a simple majority, main leaders had reached the assemblies and their failure to run the system would close all options for the country.

He said instead of debating on taking oath under the PCO or the constitution the politicians must validate the Legal Framework Order and accept power from the willing government.