NOWSHERA, Jan 23: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed has demanded restoration of deposed judges of superior courts who had not taken oath under the Provisional Constitution Order.

Speaking at the oath-taking ceremony of office-bearers of the District Bar Association as chief guest, he said a judicial commission led by deposed chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry should hold an inquiry into the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. He said only an independent judiciary could hold an impartial investigation to expose the real culprits before the nation.

The JI leader expressed the hope that the lawyers’ movement would continue till achievement of the objectives. He gave an assurance that components of the All Pakistan Democratic Movement would participate in rallies and public meetings of lawyers.Criticising the visit of President Pervez Musharraf to Europe, he said that after decline in his popularity among people, the president was again visiting the western countries to woo them that he was the best available choice for them to fulfil their unfinished agenda in the region.

He rejected the coming elections under Pervez Musharraf and called for setting up a consensus interim government sans Musharraf and an impartial election commission and ensuring an independent judiciary. He said free and fair elections and supremacy of the law, Constitution and parliament were a dream which could not be realised under the Musharraf regime.

He said the civil-military establishment was a big hurdle in the way of provincial autonomy and enforcement of Shariah in the country.

The JI chief alleged that there were worst kinds of torture cells in the country set up by intelligence agencies to torture political opponents of the rulers.