FAISALABAD, May 25: Deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry has said that judges who violated the Nov 3 verdict of the Supreme Court, which declared the emergency null and void, will be punished.

Addressing a lawyers’ convention here late on Saturday night, he said that a seven-member bench of the apex court had directed all judges not to take oath under the Provisional Constit-ution Order (PCO), but a few of them had ignored the directive.

Such judges, he said, would be punished because they had violated the SC ruling.

The bench had also restrained the Chief of Army Staff, corps commanders, staff officers and other military and civil officers from obeying the decree.

Headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, the bench that had handed down the unanimous two-page order consisted of Justice Rana Bhagwandas, Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Nasirul Mulk, Justice Raja Fayyaz and Justice Ghulam Rabbani.

Justice Chaudhry’s caravan took about 18 hours to reach Faisalabad from Islamabad normally a four-hour journey. Lawyers, political workers, human rights activists and people from different walks of life showered the CJP and other judges with rose petals and gave them a standing ovation while raising slogans in support of judiciary’s independence.

Despite two spells of heavy rain, the enthusiastic lawyers remained at their place, along with workers of various political parties who, unlike the last time the chief justice visited the city, were inside the bar premises.

Justice Chaudhry said the proclamation of emergency had falsely stated that the Supreme Court had been interfering in government affairs with suo motu actions.

He said if the SC had been creating problems then why were judges of subordinate courts punished and forced to take oath under the PCO.

“Such judges were punished one because they followed the ruling of the SC.”

He urged the people to strive for enforcement of the Nov 3 order of the SC and don’t let anyone play with their fate.

He said it was for the people to decide what sort of a judiciary they wanted to see, independent or controlled.

There have been instances in the past when judges favoured dictators in the past. But the situation has now changed,” he said, adding that now everyone wanted an independent judiciary.

He said that the pre-Nov 3 judiciary would protect people’s lives, rights, property and children and cases would be decided on merit without favouring anyone.

Paying tribute to the legal fraternity, he said they rendered sacrifices for the supremacy of judiciary and litigants contributed to the struggle with their patience.

He asked the subordinate courts to do their utmost to dispense justice.

Speaking about devaluation of the rupee, he said it was the outcome of non-implementation of rules.

Several deposed judges, including Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmed, Justice Arshad Jehangir, Justice Khawaja Mohammad Sharif and Justice Shahid Siddique, were present at the convention. An additional district and sessions judge from Mirpurkhas gifted Ajraks to the judges.

Supreme Court Bar Association president Aitzaz Ahsan said the legal community would not accept the ‘minus one formula.’

He asked parliamentarians not to be afraid of the 58(2-B) powers of the president and said that the legal fraternity would support them if the president exercised the powers.

He said the lawyers would embark on a long march from Multan on June 10 and people from all walks of life would reach Lahore the following day.

The Chief Justice would lead the long march in Islamabad on June 12.

Former SCBA president Hamid Khan said the proposed constitutional amendment bill of the Pakistan People’s Party supported dictatorship. “We categorically reject the constitutional package.”

He called upon the government to remove the president and the PCO judges and register cases against them.

Former SCBA president Munir A. Malik, former vice-chairman Ali Ahmed Kurd, Balochistan Bar Association president Baz Mohammad Kakar and Faisalabad Bar president Nasir Ali Gorraya also addressed the gathering.