HYDERABAD, July 20: Lawyers and activists of different political parties across the province celebrated the judgement of Supreme Court reinstating Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry as the Chief Justice of Pakistan on Friday by distributing sweets, offering thanksgiving prayers and dancing in courts premises.

No sooner the verdict was announced than the lawyers started pouring into the civil courts building where the High Court Bar Association (HCBA) General Secretary Allah Bachayo Soomro led thanksgiving prayers before sweets were distributed. Jubilant lawyers were dancing to different songs to celebrate the apex court's verdict.

HCBA President Abdul Sattar Kazi termed the verdict as historic but warned the lawyers that their struggle was not yet over. “Our struggle will continue till the military dictator is ousted,” he said and added lawyers did not belong to any political party as they were party in themselves.

Hyderabad District Bar Association (HDBA) General Secretary Noorul Haq Qureshi said that “Obviously, it's an historic decision after a long struggle.”

Activists of Jamaat-i-Islami led by Sheikh Shaukat and Abdul Waheed Qureshi staged a demonstration outside the press club in support of chief justice and Awami Tehrik workers staged a rally.

Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party Chairman Dr. Qadir Magsi said that the verdict would have long lasting implications. It was a defeat of dictatorial forces and a certain victory for the forces striving for the independence of judiciary, justice and supremacy of law, he said.

The Sindh National Party (SNP) chief Amir Bhambro said that it was a slap in the face of ruler and their allies and the terrorists who had prevented the chief justice from visiting Karachi on May 12.

The chief justice had become a symbol of justice who restored people’s confidence in the judiciary. His emphatic no to dictator had made his fellow countrymen proud, he remarked.

“The blood of PPP workers had flowed on roads during lawyers’ struggle for the reinstatement of chief justice,” said divisional president of the Sindh People's Youth Organisation, Ehsan Ali.

Lawyers and activists of different political parties, including, JI, PPP, PML-N, JSM, STP and AT brought out rallies, distributed sweets and offered thanksgiving prayers in Thatta, Sanghar, Naushahro Feroze, Kandiaro, Moro, Khairpur, Mirpurkhas, Mithi and their adjoining towns. They described the verdict as historic and stressed that their struggle was not yet over.