KARACHI, June 9: The legal fraternity on Saturday criticised the government for forcing low-ranking government employees to submit affidavits in the chief justice case and termed it another attempt to malign Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhary.

Karachi Bar Association President Iftikhar Javaid Qazi alleged that the respondents in the case had failed to defend themselves. He said they were trying to collect affidavits from their subordinate employees who, he said, had nothing to do with the case.

Former general secretary of the KBA Mohammad Nadeem Qureshi said the government would not be able to counter the arguments of the CJP counsels through such affidavits.

Earlier addressing a general body meeting of the Karachi Bar Association at Shuhda-i-Punjab Hall of the City Courts, KBA General-Secretary Naeem Qureshi said the government was puzzled by the submission of the affidavit by the chief justice.

Mr Qureshi also criticised the lawyers representing the government for shouting in the Supreme Court and warned that if they did not change their behaviour the legal fraternity would not let them enter the courts in different parts of the country. “The government is trying its best to defame the chief justice, and weaken the lawyers’ movement but people across the country respect him – a fact borne out by the processions taken out in his honour in different cities,” he added.

Two lawyers in the Malir Courts and six lawyers in City Courts observed a token hunger strike against the presidential reference.