ISLAMABAD, March 14: The central leadership of the Pakistan People’s Party will be present in Islamabad on Friday when suspended Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry will appear before the Supreme Judicial Council for a second hearing.

According to PPP information secretary Sherry Rehman, the party will convene a joint meeting of the central executive committee (CEC) and the federal council to express solidarity with bar associations and councils.

The meeting will be presided over by PPP president Makhdoom Amin Fahim.

All MNAs of the party have been advised to attend the meeting.

The central leaders of the opposition parties have been protesting in Islamabad since the suspension of the chief justice by General Musharraf on March 9.

Opposition leaders Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Jamaat-i-Islami chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed, PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and PTI chairman Imran Khan were present outside the Supreme Court on Tuesday and held protest demonstrations when the chief justice was brought to the court by police.

The absence of the PPP’s central leadership was noticed not only by the media, but also by the opposition leaders.

Sources told Dawn that when the media highlighted the absence of the PPP leadership from the whole episode, Ms Bhutto directed the PPP leaders to ensure their presence in Islamabad on Friday.

In a statement issued here on Wednesday, Ms Bhutto said it was a “shame for the nation to witness police officers manhandling the chief justice of Pakistan.”

She condemned the manhandling of the chief justice and called upon the Supreme Court to take notice of the violent misbehaviour.

She said that under successive military dictatorships, political leaders and now the judiciary were being subjected to violence and lawlessness.

Ms Bhutto said the PPP believed action must be taken against the culprits otherwise the day would come when no one, whether in politics, parliament, judiciary or even in military, would be safe.

She said after the fall of Shah in Iran total anarchy prevailed because of collapse of institutions, so was the case in Afghanistan and Iraq where none were spared.

She called upon the nation to rise over power lust and determine to build institutions the first step of which was disciplinary and judicial action against those who manhandled the chief justice who by virtue of his office symbolized justice for the federation of Pakistan.