KARACHI, April 27: The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, would address the Sindh High Court Bar Association on May 12, SHCBA President Abrar Hasan said here on Friday.
Talking to reporters in the bar room, he said he met the chief justice on Thursday in Islamabad after filing a petition against the presidential reference at the Supreme Court principal seat on behalf of the SHCBA.
The petition was identical to the one moved by the chief justice himself. Justice Iftikhar was certain that the chief justice could not be proceeded against under Article 209 of the constitution, which enables the president to make a reference against superior court judges to the Supreme Judicial Council. He also questioned the composition of the Supreme Judicial Council and said that was why he had filed a petition in the Supreme Court.
About Justice Iftikhar’s address to the SHCBA, he said arrangements would have to be made in the SHC lawns in view of the large attendance of SHCBA and Karachi Bar Association (KBA) members. Former and sitting judges would also be invited, but anyone other than lawyers would not be allowed.
Meanwhile, Advocates Shafiq Qureshi, Ghulam Mustafa Lakho, Qari M. Subhan Shareef and Jam Asif Mehmood observed a token hunger strike in the bar room.
Felicitating lawyers on launching a campaign against the suspension of the chief justice, the chairperson of the Asian-American Network against Abuse of Human Rights, Ms Amna Buttar, said she had come here to demonstrate the support of her network, which invited Mukhtar Mai and Dr Shazia Khalid to the United States to create awareness about the plight of women.
Ms Buttar, who is the sister of Justice M. Javed Buttar of the Supreme Court, said she met the chief justice in Islamabad on April 2 and had been pursued by ‘agency people’ since then. She was maltreated during the April 3 rally before the Supreme Court, which she attended. She said she would stay on in Pakistan to lend her network’s support to the lawyers’ campaign.
GOLDEN JUBILEE: Meanwhile, lawyers in the City Courts on Friday continued their campaign against the suspension of the CJP, and announced that they would celebrate the golden jubilee of the 50-day campaign for the independence of the judiciary on April 30.
Under the schedule, members of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and KBA stayed away from court proceedings from 10.30am to 11.30am, while six lawyers observed a token hunger strike in front of the KBA office.
A general body meeting of the KBA was held at the hunger strike camp, which was addressed by KBA President Iftikhar Javaid Qazi and others.
A resolution, moved by Hafeez Baloch, was unanimously approved, which demanded that the membership of Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada should be suspended for his support to the reference filed by President Musharraf against the CJP. President Musharraf was asked to tender his resignation as he was unable to do justice to the people and institutions. The general body demanded immediate withdrawal of the reference against the CJP, independence of the judiciary and restoration of the constitution in its original shape.
Speakers bitterly criticized the president of the Pakistan Muslim League (Q), Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, for supporting the reference filed against the CJP, and pledged to continue the campaign.
They said the government was using state machinery to suppress the lawyers’ movement and efforts were being made to create rifts within their ranks. They said all tactics would fail, adding that they would not rest until the judiciary was made fully independent. They said that President Musharraf had two options: to reinstate the CJP, or tender his resignation himself.
The speakers said all lawyers, irrespective of their political affiliation, should join hands for upholding the dignity of the constitution.
Members of the Malir Bar Association also boycotted court proceedings from 10.30am to 11.30am. Four members of the association observed a token hunger strike in the bar room. MBA President Zahoor Hussain Mehar said that the President of the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf, Imran Khan, would address members of the association on April 30. He added that preparations were under way to ensure the participation of maximum members of the association in the protest procession on May 2.
