February 18, 2008	Monday	Safar 10, 1429

QUETTA, Feb 17: Acting president of the Supreme Court Bar Association Sakhi Sultan has asked President Musharraf to resign, reinstate the deposed judges and release all people detained during the movement for restoration of judiciary, including Aitzaz Ahsan and Ali Ahmed Kurd. He had termed these measures necessary for political stability in the country.

In a statement issued here on Saturday night, he urged COAS Gen Ashfaq Parvaiz Kayani to stop the army and intelligence agencies from interfering in political affairs, citing criticism of the army because of its involvement in politics.

Mr Sultan said that President Musharraf’s extra-constitutional policies had created a political, constitutional and judicial crisis, endangering the country’s integrity, adding that the crisis would end with the resignation of the president.

Criticising the government for deposing a number of superior court judges, he said that neither parliament nor judiciary could suspend the Constitution.

“The most shameful act of the Musharraf government was the withdrawal of telephone facility to the deposed judges and stopping people from visiting the residence of the Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry,” he added.

Mr Sultan said that the lawyers’ movement had entered a decisive phase.

He also called for a UN investigation into the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.