August 10, 2008	Sunday	Sha’aban 7, 1429

LAHORE, Aug 9: The PML-N wants the lawyers’ community to adopt a soft line when they will meet on Aug 15 to draw up a course of action after the lapse of their Aug 14 deadline for the restoration of deposed judges.

On July 18 in Lahore, an All Pakistan Lawyers Representatives’ Convention had warned of another long march and a sit-in before the parliament in case the coalition partners — mainly the PML-N and the PPP — failed to restore the judges in the manner agreed to in the Murree Declaration.

Talking to Dawn about the unhappiness of the lawyers’ leaders over the consensus on the deposed judges’ issue, PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq said the party agreed to take up the impeachment first because it lacked strength in the parliament to restore the pre-emergency judiciary.

He said the PML-N wanted the lawyers to “coordinate and talk” instead of deciding alone their response after the lapse of deadline.

“The judges will be restored through an executive order on the heels of impeachment,” Mr Haq hastened to add.

Key leaders of the lawyers’ movement, including Supreme Court Bar Association President Aitzaz Ahsan, had already expressed their displeasure over the order of the move the coalition had planned. Mr Ahsan’s opinion had drawn a sharp response by PML-N information secretary Ahsan Iqbal, who minced no words in crediting Nawaz Sharif with pre-empting reinstatement of eight deposed judges of the Sindh High Court.

Mr Haq feels the lack of communication — between the PML-N and the lawyers — left room for a misunderstanding, which would be cleared once Mr Ahsan came back home.

“Nawaz had phoned (ex-SCBA president) Munir A Malik about the decision but the whole issue was not discussed in detail,” he said.

The latest accord on impeachment and the judges restoration is likely to pacify the lawyers community, which recently criticised the parliament and had vowed to step up agitation in response to the delay in the judges restoration.