March 06, 2008	Thursday	Safar 27 ,1429

OKARA, March 5: A former Supreme Court judge and presidential candidate Justice Wajihuddin Ahmad (retired) addressed the local bar on Wednesday and revealed how he was pressed by the Musharraf camp to withdraw his candidature.

“The government will spare Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry if withdraw your candidature against Pervez Musharraf in the presidential elections,” he quoted a pro-government lawyer as telling him.

Mr Wajih said lawyers would not accept the restoration of the judiciary sacked on Nov 3 without the reinstatement of Justice Chaudhry. He said a prime minister could undo all unconstitutional steps by Musharraf through an executive order.

He said lawyers would not accept the restoration of superior judiciary if President Musharraf demanded a legal cover to his unconstitutional steps. He said had independent judiciary been in place, Musharraf would have been disqualified.

He said the matter of judges who took oath under the Nov 3 Provisional Constitution Order be sent to the Supreme Judicial Council consisting of “real judges”.

WATTOO: Mian Manzoor Wattoo, MNA-elect as an independent candidate from NA-146 and NA-147 has reportedly decided to vacate NA-147 and maintain his status as independent MNA in the National Assembly. Dawn learnt that Wattoo has also decided to support the Pakistan People’s Party in the Centre while his daughter Robina Shaheen Wattoo, MPA-elect, will support the Pakistan Muslim League-N in the Punjab Assembly. Dawn also learnt that Mian Javed Yasin Wattoo, son of late Mian Yasin Wattoo, has decided to join the PML-N and will contest NA-147 bypoll.