KARACHI, Dec 14: Speakers at a seminar on the “Present Crisis and Requirements of Democracy” paid tribute to the lawyers’ ongoing movement, and said all segments of the society should join them to bring about a true democracy in the country.

“Lawyers have offered great sacrifices by observing boycott of court proceedings in their struggle for democracy in Pakistan and all of us should join the crusade against dictatorship,” Justice Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim, a former judge of the Supreme Court, said in his speech as the chief guest of the seminar held at the Karachi Press Club (KPC).

The seminar, presided over by eminent journalist Minhaj Barna, was jointly organised by the Irtiqa Institute of Social Sciences and the KPC.

Justice Ebrahim said all democracy-loving forces should agree on a one-point agenda – army must go back to barracks – and this because without the constitution, democracy could not flourish in Pakistan.

He also appreciated general public for extending their full support to the struggle waged by the bench and bar to bring an end to the dictatorship. “We’ll go forward and not backward,” he declared.

Prof SM Naseer, a leading educationist and economist, said the movements launched by different segments of society had manifested a big hope and gave optimism to those who had got frustrated.

Baloch leader Mir Hasil Bizenjo said Pakistan was a state without any institutions where Pervez Musharraf felt no need to get directives from any superior authority but Washington.

Anis Haroon of Aurat Foundation, KPC president Sabihuddin Ghausi, Abdul Khaliq Junejo of the Jeay Sindh Mahaz,

Dr Syed Jaffer Ahmed of the Irtiqa Institute and Dr Riaz Ahmed of the University of Karachi also spoke on the occasion.