HARIPUR, Jan 16: The deposed Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court, Justice Tariq Pervez Khan, has said that lawyers’ movement would restore the lost prestige of the judiciary.

“Failure and success are part of the movements and we are optimistic that we will write a new history, but if we fail the history will remember us as Tepu Sultans of this time,” he said while addressing the lawyers at the district bar room during his visit to Haripur here on Wednesday.

He said that lawyers were not only struggling for the restoration of judiciary but also for the rights of 160 million people. “The lawyers’ movement will ensure a judiciary, which will function independently in accordance with its conscience rather than becoming subservient to individuals,” he said.

For the first time in the history of Pakistan, lawyers have determined the real destination of country, he said.

Eulogising the role of lawyers in the movement for restoration of independent judiciary, he said that their struggle attained a worldwide respect and acknowledgement. Despite facing numerous hardships the lawyers across the country are still in high spirits because they have the support of 160 million people, he said.

Mr Khan said that according to the Constitution and the decision of November 3 by the seven-member bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, he was still the chief justice of the Peshawar High Court.

Supreme Court Bar Association vice president Saeed Akhtar Khan, High Court Bar Association Abbottabad bench general secretary Javed Qureshi, District Bar Association president Javed Tanoli and tehsil nazim Iftikhar Ahmed Khan were also present on the occasion.