March 15, 2007	Thursday	Safar 25, 1428

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ISLAMABAD, March 14: Two senators, a retired judge and a senior lawyer called on Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry at his residence here on Wednesday. Senators from Balochistan Kamran Murtaza and Maulvi Agha Mohammed, who belong to the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), remained with Justice Chaudhry for an hour.

Two others who met the non-functional chief justice are Justice (retd) Javed Nawaz Gandapur and Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, a representative of CJ’s defence counsel Aitzaz Ahsan.

Senator Murtaza said he and Senator Agha faced problems in meeting Justice Chaudhry due to extraordinary security measures along the way to the Judges Colony.

The MMA senators are the only politicians to have met the non-functional chief justice after the first hearing of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) on Tuesday in a reference filed by President Pervez Musharraf against him.

Senator Murtaza told Dawn that Justice Chaudhry expressed firm determination to fight against his suspension.

Justice Chaudhry held that he is the Chief Justice of Pakistan under sections 180 and 209 of the Constitution unless and until he goes abroad or becomes physically or mentally retarded, he said.

Disallowed to go outside, Justice Chaudhry was living in his official residence as a detainee, he said, adding that all entrances of his residence, except the main gate, had been locked by the security personnel posted there.

Senator Murtaza quoted the justice as saying that he had become a victim of the ‘wrong advice’ given to the president by his advisors and close aides.

He said that on way to the Chief Justice’s residence, he and Senator Agha were stopped by security personnel at three points and were taken to the Balochistan House for sometime.

"We were allowed to meet Justice Chaudhry after he expressed his consent," he said.

Senior lawyer Barrister Gohar Ali Khan also called on the non-functional chief justice in connection with the reference filed with the SJC. Barrister Khan assists CJ’s counsel Aitzaz Ahsan.

Since Aitzaz Ahsan had been stopped from meeting Justice Chaudhry on Tuesday, he avoided going to the Chief Justice’s residence on Wednesday to discuss the case.

Meanwhile, a high-level security meeting was held in the office of the Chief Commissioner, Islamabad to chalk out a strategy to maintain law and order situation on Friday when Justice Chaudhry will appear before the SJC for a second hearing.