LAHORE, April 26: Lahore figures prominently in the events following the suspension of Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry as the chief justice of Pakistan - in the process showing signs of waking up after having come under fire for its long, real or perceived, aloofness.

Some of the lawyers representing the two sides in the reference against Justice Chaudhry happen to come from Lahore. The names include Aitzaz Ahsan, Hamid Khan - counsel for Justice Chaudhry - and Wasim Sajjad, Arif Chaudhry and Raja Abdur Rehman - representing the government.

Justice Jawad S Khwaja of the Lahore High Court was the only higher judiciary judge who resigned from his post in the wake of Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry’s suspension or his departure on forced leave. A delegation of lawyers from the city is marching on Islamabad and preparations are under way to give a red-carpet welcome to Justice Chaudhry in the city, most probably in the first week of May.

Speculations are on as to how many judges of the Lahore High Court would attend the reception to be given to Justice Chaudhry. After shows of solidarity on the part of judges in Hyderabad and Peshawar during Justice Chaudhry’s recent visits there, a similar statement from the members of the judiciary based in the Punjab metropolis could greatly embarrass the government.

The city has been holding big rallies in support of the suspended chief justice and sending large contingents of lawyers - perhaps larger than the delegations sent by any other place - to the Supreme Judicial Council hearings of the Justice Chaudhry reference in Islamabad.

On the other side of the divide, Lahore has hosted two conventions of pro-government lawyers.

“It is very pleasing to see Lahore play its role as it always has,” says Hamid Khan, member of Pakistan Bar Council and the panel of lawyers representing Justice Chaudhry in the reference against him. “But ours is a countrywide campaign.”

He says the way people have extended their support to “the Chief Justice of Pakistan makes it clear that they have pinned their hopes on him.”

Mr Khan says lawyers’ bodies will invite all judges of the Lahore High Court to the reception to be held in Justice Chaudhry’s honour. “All these judges should be there to welcome Mr Chaudhry. Protocol also demands that since Mr Chaudhry is still the chief justice of Pakistan.”

Raja Abdur Rehman, a Lahore-based lawyer who is on the panel representing the government in the reference, thus responds to Justice Chaudhry’s addresses to various bars: “A judge should not behave like a politician. This is not a political issue but purely a legal and constitutional matter. Those who are projecting Justice Chaudhry as the next president of Pakistan are not his friends.”

Abdur Rehman does concur with Hamid Khan when he says he can’t single out Lahore as the power player behind the issue, but of course he cannot deny that a majority of lawyers on the government panel in the case come from the city. Besides him, the panel includes Arif Chaudhry, senators Wasim Sajjad and Dr Khalid Ranjha, and Amanullah Kanrani. Except for Mr Kanrani, who is a former president of Balochistan High Court Bar, all panel members are Lahore-based lawyers.

Not to be left behind in this race among Lahoris, Justice Malik Muhammad Qayyum (retired) says he is not on the government’s panel in the reference but is representing the federation of Pakistan in assisting the Supreme Court in various identical petitions that challenge the reference against the CJP.

“As part of the judiciary I felt it necessary to play my role in the matter,” he says. “The issue should be resolved at the earliest. It is a no-win situation for both sides. The government has accused the chief justice, who, in turn, is levelling charges against his own colleagues (the judges). So you tell me who is at loss? The judiciary is at a loss.”

Mr Qayyum does not see any reason for the judges of the high court for not attending the reception to be held in honour of Justice Chaudhry. “Mr Chaudhry is still chief justice of Pakistan,” he reminds everyone around.