LAHORE, Feb 5: Supreme Court Bar Association president Aitzaz Ahsan has predicted a surge in the lawyers’ movement for restoration of the pre-emergency judiciary.

He was talking to reporters at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC), where he had been brought under heavy security on Tuesday morning for what he called a routine medical check-up.

Mr Ahsan said the government was mistaken if thought it could weaken the lawyers’ movement through arrests and detentions.

Commenting on President Musharraf’s statement on judges’ restoration, Mr Ahsan said it was wrong to say that the judges could not be restored without a two-third majority and an amendment to the Constitution. They could be restored under a simple executive order, he added.

Mr Ahsan regretted that he was not allowed to attend the burial of Benazir Bhutto although he had made a written request. He said he had submitted a fresh application for travelling to Sindh to attend the chehlum of Benazir Bhutto on Feb 7.

“I have booked a ticket from Lahore via Karachi to reach Naudero. I will attend the chehulm and offer fateha at Benazir’s grave if allowed to travel,” he said.

About his health, he said: “I am in perfect health and some news reports which suggest that I am unwell were not true.”