No restriction on movement of CJ, says Justice Javed
By Syed Irfan Raza
ISLAMABAD, March 18: Acting Chief Justice Mr Justice Javed Iqbal said on Sunday that there was no restriction on the movement of the Chief Justice, Mr Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, and anyone could meet him.
According to a press release issued by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the acting chief justice said: “Justice Iftikhar can move freely”.
He said that he himself had a look at security arrangements around the Chief Justice House and found that only such arrangements were in place as were necessary for the security and safety of the chief justice.
The press release said that the acting CJ visited PIMS hospital to inquire after the health of the President of the District Bar Council, Islamabad, Advocate Haroonur Rashid.
Mr Haroon had received injuries in the head when he fell from the roof of the vehicle carrying the CJ to the Supreme Court building for his appearance before the Supreme Judicial Council on Friday.
The press release also clarified that the acting CJ did not visit the residence of Justice Iftikhar as had been reported by some newspapers and private TV channels.
On the orders of the acting CJ, all barricades on the road leading to Justice Iftikhar’s residence were removed on Sunday and no one was stopped from proceeding to his house.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry met some lawyers and his friends but he did not meet journalists who went to his residence to see him.
“Justice Iftikhar has regretted not to meet you today and has requested you to come tomorrow,” a security personnel conveyed the CJ’s massage to some journalists who went to his home on Sunday.
A security official told Dawn that Justice Iftikhar had been provided a bundle of newspapers on Sunday morning, for the first time since his suspension.
He said a new personal secretary had also been provided to the CJ.
The official said the CJ had been provided three official vehicles but they were not used by any member of the CJ’s family. The drivers of the official cars, he said, had already been sent on leave.
