SARGODHA, July 3: Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf chairman Imran Khan has dispelled the impression that political parties are behind the ongoing lawyers’ movement.

“The movement is neither sponsored by politicians nor has it any ulterior motive. Lawyers, nay, people from all walks of life are taking to the street for the independence of the judiciary and for upholding the supremacy of law,” he said while paying a tribute to the lawyers.

Speaking at a seminar organised by the Liberal Forum and to lawyers on different occasions, he said democracy could not take roots in Pakistan as successive military governments had held the entire nation hostage since its independence. It was such wrongs of the incumbent rulers that the lawyers were resisting, he said.

He said if Gen Musharraf would get himself elected from the present assemblies, the members of parliament (of opposition parties) would resign and boycott the elections.

Imran deplored that the US was a ‘personal friend’ of Gen Musharaf who had killed scores of Muslims in tribal areas and handed over 700 innocent Muslims to Jews for their alleged involvement in terrorism. “If Saddam Hussein can be hanged for massacre of Muslims, why can’t Gen Musharraf be proceeded against under similar charges?” he asked. — Correspondent