November 29, 2008	Saturday	Ziqa'ad 30, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Nov 28: Five members of the Pakistan Bar Council and the Supreme Court Bar Association called on Friday for immediate resignation of Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar for allegedly using his position to gain advantage for his daughter.

They said in a statement that this was the only case in which exam papers were re-assessed instead of being re-tabulated.

Those who signed the statement are: Ali Ahmed Kurd, president of the SCBA, Rasheed A Razvi, Hamid Khan, Hafiz Abdul Rehman Ansari, Muhammad Anwar Qazi and Asrarul Haq Mian.

They said: “We are dismayed at the statement by some members of the PBC equating the chief justice case with that of the ‘constitutional chief justice’ Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

“Men of honour do not break their oath of office,” they said, adding that they were certain that the overwhelming strength of the legal fraternity would join us in demanding that the chief justice should resign and he should be censured for having brought more “ridicule upon the judicial institution”.

Meanwhile, the SCBA in a resolution criticised the chief justice for allegedly exercising his influence and pressure on officials of the Federal Education Board for securing extra marks for his daughter to enable her to seek admission to a medical college.

“This house is of the view that the illegal and unlawful act of the chief justice has disentitled him to retain the high office of the chief justice and demands his immediate resignation from the said office,” the resolution said.

In another resolution, the SCBA expressed its deep appreciation to the landmark and successful US visit of deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

The resolution appreciated the honouring of Justice Iftikhar with medals and award of life membership of the most prestigious and one of the biggest bars of the world.

“This is recognition of the valiant struggle lodged by the legal fraternity of Pakistan which is being fully supported by the media, civil society and political activists,” the resolution said.

In another resolution, the association condemned ‘the illegal and unjust’ decision of the PBC executive committee to suspend the license of several eminent lawyers because of their participation in the lawyers’ movement.

This decision of the executive committee was to please the government and to put undue pressure on lawyers who are waging a relentless struggle for independence of the judiciary and restoration of Justice Iftikhar.

Meanwhile, Athar Minallah, the spokesperson for Justice Iftikhar, told Dawn that during the visit, Justice Iftikhar was always addressed as the chief justice and was declared by the Americans as a real hero and a role model.

Justice Iftikhar was welcomed by lawyers and civil society representatives on his arrival at the Benazir Bhutto airport.