KARACHI, Aug 7: Criticising those deposed judges of the Sindh High Court who had reportedly accepted the government’s offer of a fresh oath, the legal fraternity on Thursday termed it an attempt to sabotage the lawyers’ ongoing movement and said by accepting the offer, the judges would be upholding the imposition of the Nov 3 emergency.

The lawyers lauded the stand of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) regarding the reinstatement of the deposed judges and its role in holding in abeyance the notification for the restoration of eight deposed judges of the SHC till the reinstatement of all judges.

It was stated that on former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association Munir A. Malik and SCBA President Rasheed A. Razvi’s intervention that PML (N) President Nawaz Sharif took a firm stand against the proposed notification for the reappointment of eight deposed judges of the Sindh High Court.

Speaking at a general body meeting of the Karachi Bar Association (KBA), held in Shuhada-i-Punjab hall of the City Courts, the lawyers’ leaders criticized the federal law minister for what they termed an attempt to derail the accord between PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif about the impeachment of President Musharraf by sending the summary for the reappointment of judges to the president.

Referring to the reports that eight deposed judges had agreed to take a fresh oath, Munir A. Malik said that by accepting the government’s offer the judges would be validating the illegal and unconstitutional steps of Pervez Musharraf taken on Nov 3, 2007. “There is a difference between reinstatement and reappointment. If a person is reinstated, it means he was unlawfully removed from his post, but if he is reappointed, it indicates that he was ousted through legal channels,” he explained.

The former SCBA chief urged the legal fraternity to maintain unity among its ranks and to change the mindsets of the people through its ongoing struggle which, he said, was for the rule of law, supremacy of the constitution, independence of the pro-people judiciary and to protect the fundamental rights of citizens. He added that it was a long struggle and there was a need to be more patient.

Member of the Pakistan Bar Council Yaseen Azad said he hoped that both the major ruling coalition partners would resolve their differences related to the reinstatement of the deposed judges and impeachment of the president.

He said Pervez Musharraf must be charged under Article 6 of the constitution and treason cases be registered against him as he had abrogated the constitution, not once but twice.

Member of the Sindh Bar Council Salahuddin Gandapur criticised the eight deposed judges for accepting the government’s offer.

President of Karachi Bar Association Mahmoodul Hasan also criticised the deposed judges who have agreed to take a fresh oath.

He urged the PPP co-chairman to sack the adviser to the prime minister on the interior, Rehman Malik, and the federal minister for law, justice and parliamentary affairs, Farooq H. Naek, alleging that they were working for the perpetuity in office of President Musharraf.

He moved a resolution demanding the release of Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan and Dr Aafia Siddiqui.

The KBA general-secretary said that lawyers would not accept those judges of the Sindh High Court who had agreed to take a fresh oath. Those judges had also disregarded the sacrifices of the lawyers rendered during the ongoing struggle that was for the reinstatement of the deposed judge and the rule of law.

The general body meeting through a resolution barred Federal Minister for Law Farooq H. Naek from addressing the Karachi bar or entering its premises.

A rally, surrounded by heavy contingents of police, was taken out from the KBA office after the general body meeting by the lawyers, who staged a sit-in on M. A. Jinnah Road.

They chanted anti-Musharraf slogans and later disperse peacefully.

Meanwhile, the lawyers on Thursday observed a boycott of court proceedings at the City Courts and the Malir Distract Courts on a call of the Pakistan Bar Council to protest against the ousting of the chief justice and other judges of superior courts.

Though the undertrial prisoners were brought to the police lockup in the City Courts from different prisons, their cases could not be heard due to the strike. However, the judges remained in their respective chambers.

The business activities on the premises of the City Courts also remained thin due to the strike.