June 21, 2008	Saturday	Jamadi-us-Sani 16, 1429

WASHINGTON, June 20: Two prominent leaders of the lawyers’ movement – Aitzaz Ahsan and Munir Malik – will address an Amnesty International meeting in Washington on June 26, the organisation announced on Friday.

In a brief press release, Amnesty International identified the two lawyers as “former political prisoners” and leaders of the movement for the restoration of judges deposed by President Pervez Musharraf on Nov 3.

The two leaders will also address the annual gathering of the Association of Pakistani Physicians in North America (Appna), the largest and the most effective Pakistani organisation in this part of the world.

While the Appna has a tradition of inviting political leaders from Pakistan to its annual meetings, Amnesty International usually avoids direct involvement in controversial issues.

But AI has been very active in support of the lawyers’ movement, lobbying US lawmakers and government officials to use their influence for the restoration of the deposed judges.

The forthcoming visit has also alarmed lobbyists for the Pakistani government in Washington. They claim that the two leaders are seeking appointments with key congressmen and senators who preside over some major congressional committees.

They intend to ask US lawmakers to condition future US assistances to Pakistan to the reinstatement of the sacked judges.

Washington-based Pakistani groups associated with the lawyers’ movement, however, have denied such claims as unfounded.

They say that while Pakistani lawyers are seeking international support for the restoration of judges, they have no plans to ask the US Congress to stop or delay US assistance to Pakistan.