June 11, 2008	Wednesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 06, 1429

PESHAWAR, June 10: Activists of various political parties and the lawyers’ bodies from the different districts of the NWFP would join the legal fraternity’s long march, when it reaches Islamabad on June 13.

The long march began from Multan on June 10 to press the government to restore the deposed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and other superior courts justices, who were sacked by President Musharraf on Nov 3, 2007, when they refused to take oath under the Provisional Constitution Order.

Provincial chief of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Sirajul Haq, speaking at a press conference here on Tuesday, announced that his party workers would fully participate in the long march in Islamabad on June 13.

He said that President Pervez Musharraf’s days had been numbered and hoped that all the deposed judges would be restored. Members of the lawyers’ community were also present in the press conference.

He said that the party’s workers had been directed to proceed to Islamabad to take part in the anti-Musharraf movement spearheaded by lawyers. He claimed that Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari was afraid of the restoration of the judges and independence of the judiciary that was way he was reluctant to restore the sacked judges through an executive order.

Mr Haq was of the opinion that the PPP was not in favour of the restoration of the judiciary nor did it want to remove Musharraf.

He demanded that Musharraf should be sued in the court and should not be provided a safe passage. He said that masses would not allow Musharraf and his business partners to leave the country on June 13 and they would be made accountable. He said that people of Pakistan had given mandate to the political parties for the restoration of the deposed judges.

He appealed to the masses to fully participate in the long march. The long march, he said, would ‘strengthen’ democracy, judiciary and the system. He criticized the US for supporting Musharraf.

Our Correspondent adds from Haripur: General secretary of the High Court Bar Association, Abbottabad Circuit Bench, Javed Qureshi advocate, talking to mediapersons here, said that the lawyers from Kohistan, Battagram, Balakot, Bisham, Mansehra and other areas would proceed to Islamabad on June 12 in a historic carvan to join the long march.

He said that the lawyers’ fraternity would oppose any step by the sitting government to give indemnity to the unconstitutional acts of President Pervez Musharraf.

He said that the lawyers’ long march would bring about positive change in the country forcing a dictator out of his office and paving the way for the supremacy of law and constitution.

Our Correspondent adds from Swabi: The lawyers’ community, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) in their separate meetings here on Tuesday declared that they would join the lawyers’ long march and would proceed to Islamabad in a caravan on Friday.

Presiding over the lawyers meeting, president of Swabi Bar Association, Ahmad Ali Khan said that their struggle for the reinstatement of the deposed judges had entered a very critical stage and once again the lawyers displayed a complete determination and unity.