November 28, 2007	Wednesday	Ziqa’ad 17, 1428

LAHORE, Nov 27: Deposed chief justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has asked the political parties and people to boycott elections being held under an ‘unconstitutional regime’, says a Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) official.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, LHCBA Secretary Sarfraz Cheema said Mr Chaudhry told him that elections’ boycott was imperative because of the “unusual state of affairs” in the country. “More than 60 judges of the superior judiciary have been detained in their houses and the constitution has been held in abeyance,” he quoted the deposed chief justice as saying.

Mr Chaudhry said the ‘law of jungle’ prevailed in the country after the suspension of people’s rights on Nov 3. He said lawyers were detained because they were fighting for the independence of judiciary and restoration of the constitution and people’s rights.

He said the government muzzled the media because it was showing people what was actually happening in the country. He thanked all those who supporting the lawyers’ movement. He asked lawyers to continue their struggle till the restoration of the constitution and people’s rights.