July 22, 2007	Sunday	Rajab 06, 1428

LAHORE, July 21: The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and a federal minister on Saturday demanded the reinstatement of judges and law officers who had resigned to show solidarity with Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

At a press conference on Saturday, SCBA vice-president Sahibzada Anwar Hamid and secretary Syed Zulfikar Bokhari said as the Supreme Court had declared the presidential reference against the CJP illegal and he had been reinstated to his office, the judges and other officials who had resigned to protest the government’s step should be ‘reinstated’ to their offices too.

They said the legal fraternity would initiate the second phase of their struggle for the supremacy of the constitution, rule of law and restoration of ‘true’ democracy in the country.

Paying tribute to the media, they said the Supreme Court would be moved in case the government imposed restrictions on it.

Meanwhile, Minister of state for IT Ishaq Khan Khakwani said the judges and court officials who had resigned because of the judicial crisis should be restored to their offices with honour.

Ina statement, he welcomed the reinstatement of the chief justice, calling it a good omen for the country, democracy and other state institutions.

He said the reinstatement had not only ended the judicial crisis but had also resolved an unnecessary confrontation borne out of misunderstandings.

“It is a good omen for the country and it would further strengthen democracy and allied institutions which are striving for a complete revival of democratic norms in the country”.

The minister said there were saner elements in the ruling PML who had continued advising the government to avoid unnecessary confrontation with various institutions.

Khakwani said there had been occasions in the past when judgments passed against the sitting governments were not accepted in letter and spirit, which often led to confrontation and chaos. “Now that the Chief Justice has been restored, it would appear as a good sign if the president and the prime minister, who harbour no grudge against the CJP, take the initiative to congratulate the latter and assure him their full support for the discharge of his professional duty”.

RALLY: Lawyers of the Lahore High Court and lower courts on Saturday took out a rally to applaud the Supreme Court verdict, reports APP.

The rally commenced from Aiwan-e-Adl and terminated in front of the Punjab Assembly. Participants raised slogans in favour of the SC verdict and termed it historic, and according to the aspirations of the nation.

Earlier, addressing the general house meetings of Lahore High Court Bar Association and Lahore Bar Association (LBA), the office-bearers hailed the decision of the full court.

They pledged that the lawyers community would continue their struggle for strengthening the judiciary, and appreciated the unity exhibited by the lawyers’ community.