September 12, 2008	Friday	Ramazan 11, 1429

LAHORE, Sept 11: Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Aitzaz Ahsan has said Pakistan People’s Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari’s oath to the office of the president is not in accordance with the Constitution, but his status as an elected president cannot be doubted.

Mr Ahsan told a press conference on Thursday at the Lahore High Court Bar Association after the meeting of the steering committee of the National Coordination Council formed to make agenda for the lawyers’ movement.

He said the meeting agreed to ensure a complete boycott of the Supreme Court on Thursday, but deferred the proposal by southern Punjab’s lawyers to lock up courtrooms to press the government to restore all judges.

He said had Zardari heeded his advice, his oath would have been free of any constitutional lacuna.

He said he did not feel obliged to disclose to anyone the details of his meeting with President Zardari.

“My stance for the restoration of chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and his colleagues remains unchanged,” he said.Mr Ahsan said they had deferred the decision to stage sit-ins because of Ramazan, but warned the campaign could intensify any moment. He said some of the deposed judges accepted “re-appointment” without regard to their seniority or lawyers’ stance.

He said after Ramazan, the National Coordination Council would plan the schedule for holding provincial conventions. He said the meeting had also unanimously decided to support Ali Ahmad Kurd for the next presidential election of the SCBA.

He said lawyers would mark Sept 23 ‘Justice Iftikhar Day’ to highlight his life, courage and determination. He said lawyers had reviewed one-and-a-half year of their campaign, which, according to him, had achieved a great success.

He said the lawyers made it possible for exiled leaders to return to Pakistan, forced Gen Pervez Musharraf to take off his uniform, paved for general elections, persuaded the politicians to agree on the restoration of judges, materialised a marvelous long march and reminded the government of the importance of restoring the judges through countrywide sit-ins on Aug 28.