July 19, 2007	Thursday	Rajab 03, 1428

ISLAMABAD, July 18: Two premier lawyers’ bodies on Wednesday questioned government’s claim of suicide bombing near the Pakistan People’s Party reception camp that killed 17 people on Tuesday.

“The bomb that went off was a time device planted to target Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry,” Vice Chairman Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Mirza Aziz Akbar Baig and President Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Muneer A. Malik claimed here while speaking at a press conference.

They held the government responsible for miserably failing in providing security to the chief justice and the people. They alleged that the entire scheme was ‘pre planned’ to sabotage the peaceful struggle being spearheaded by the legal fraternity for the dignity and independence of the judiciary.

However, they resolved that no threat or hazard could deter them from their struggle for the just cause.

Mirza Aziz Baig complained of security lapses at the Islamabad District Bar where the chief justice was due to address a lawyer’s convention and alleged that the device exploded at a time when the chief justice was scheduled to pass through the walkway where it was planted.

Mr Baig said that three minutes earlier he was standing right on the spot where the bomb exploded, outside the podium strict security was being maintained by the lawyers themselves.

“That was the reason the bomb could not be planted inside the convention area,” he said, adding that attempts to declare the tragedy a suicide attack would mean shrugging the responsibility off on part of the government.

Former PBC vice chairman Ali Ahmed Kurd said the bomb blast was a message to discourage and desist the people from supporting the biggest ever struggle, led by lawyers, to end General Pervez Musharraf’s rule and to plug holes so that no adventurist in future ever dare to impose military rule in the country.

He also resolved to lead the ongoing struggle to its logical end come what may otherwise it would mean betraying the trust of the people on the lawyers.

Muneer A. Malik explained that the lawyer’s struggle was not dependent on personalities or individuals and would continue till the time the cherish goals were achieved.

He also announced that a meeting of the National Action Committee comprising office-bearers of the PBC, SCBA, high court bars and district bar associations had been convened for Friday in the Supreme Court building.

The meeting will take stock of the current situation with regard to the reference filed against the chief justice and prevailing deteriorating law and order situation in the country to decide on the future course of action.