February 24, 2008	Sunday	Safar 16, 1429

LAHORE, Feb 23: Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) Chairperson Asma Jehangir has cautioned lawyers against overplaying their hand in seeking confrontation with the government before the convening of the new parliament.

Reacting to the proposed “long march” to Islamabad on March 9 - the first anniversary of Chaudhry Iftikhar’s sacking as chief justice - Jehangir told Dawn: “I’m disheartened by the fact that before parliament is even consolidated, they are being expected to perform miracles.”

She said she agreed with the assessment of Justice (retd) Tariq Mahmood, a key figure in the lawyers’ movement who is under house arrest.

In a statement issued on Friday, Mahmood had stated that the issue of judiciary must be solved with “care and deliberation” or risk setting back the movement by placing the political leadership under too much pressure.

Jehangir said she “fully supported” the restoration of the judiciary, but added: “We should move surely but cautiously. Either we move forward with this transformation or we risk going into reversal.”

She said she felt that issuing “threats and ultimatums” was not helpful. “What are you going to achieve by confronting a parliament that has not yet met?” she asked.

Asma Jehangir added she was committed to toppling Gen (retd) Musharraf, and that the movement must keep all its overarching goals in mind. She said while she respected those who were seeking to press ahead in high level confrontation with the establishment, acting without unity would be detrimental to the democracy movement.

She said the example of the partial polls boycott was illustrative of how failing to act in unity, or without detailed consideration, could backfire. “The call for boycott was not taken by consensus and in the end it did backfire to an extent, particularly in Balochistan,” she said.— Issam Ahmed