ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Aitzaz Ahsan on Tuesday said former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry misused his office and the opportunity he received after reinstatement for fulfilling “personal aggrandizement”.

“Pakistan had never seen such a powerful chief justice nor will it see in future,” Aitzaz said in an interview to Capital TV.

“We forced a president, army chief and a democratic government to get him reinstated but [Iftikhar Chaudhry] wasted the opportunity and used it to fulfil his personal agenda. I still regret this.”

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The PPP senator said he would have been a happy man if Chaudhry had done something to reform lower judiciary. “A common citizen’s first contact with the legal system happens at lower judiciary,” he said.

He added that the former chief justice got involved in Memogate scandal, National Reconciliation Ordinance case and even directed the Election Commission of Pakistan to hold presidential elections before the announced date on the behest of Nawaz Sharif.

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Despite his grievances with Chaudhry, Aitzaz maintained that he had no qualms over being a part of the lawyers’ movement launched for the independence of judiciary in the country.

“My commitment was with the institution of judiciary and not with the former chief justice,” he said.