MUZAFFARGARH, April 27: Former prime ministers Mir Zafarullah Jamali and Chaudhry Shujaat Husain should learn a lesson from Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, who instead of resigning from his office, challenged the military dictator and became a hero, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Pakistan People’s Party Punjab president, said on Friday.

He said this while addressing lawyers of the Muzaffargarh District Bar Association on the occasion of celebration of the 71st birth anniversary of nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan at Bar Room.

Addressing the charged crowd of lawyers, Mr Qureshi said that Mr Jamali and Mr Husain had left their offices at the behest of General Pervez Musharraf which changed the temperament of the general. He said Musharraf wanted to give the same treatment to the chief justice on March 9 but he refused and stood against the dictatorship, and in return the nation made him a hero.

He said the PPP would show his street power on the occasion of Justice Chaudhry’s travel to Lahore from Islamabad on May 5. He said he had told all PPP workers to accord thumping welcome to him in the cities he passed through while on his way to Lahore.

He said the government had paid Rs8,000 to each to those daily wagers who had attended a Pakistan Muslim League rally in Islamabad on April 23.

He said Dr Qadeer Khan had given nuclear power to Pakistan but he had been detained in his house while those who had launched the Kargal Operation and brought defame for the country were enjoying power.

Bar President Zubaidul Islam Sherwani also addressed the meeting. Mr Qureshi also cut a 71-lb cake to celebrate the birth anniversary of Dr Khan.

Talking to Dawn, Mr Qureshi said PPP tickets would not be given to turncoats for the next general elections. About the role of Ghulam Mustafa Khar in the PPP, he said he had a lot of respect for him.

PPP workers and leaders accorded warm welcome to Mr Qureshi on his arrival to the city and a two-kilometre procession of motorcycles, cars and buses received him at the Chenab Bridge. District Nazim Sardar Qayyum Jatoi, PPP Muzaffargarh President Mian Mohsin Qureshi, tehsil president Rana Mahboob and Mazhar Pahoor were also present.