KARACHI, April 20: Former Supreme Court judge and presidential runner-up Justice Wajihuddin Ahmed has opposed withdrawal of the graduation condition for becoming a legislator for the upcoming by-election, saying that such a move at this stage might serve the interests of some particular candidates.

Presiding over a seminar on “Freedom of Judiciary and National Solidarity”, he expressed his confidence that all the judges deposed after promulgation of the Provisional Constitution Order on Nov 3 last year would soon be reinstated. Defending the deposed judges’ decision not to take oath under the PCO, he said the introduction of the PCO was against the Constitution. “The trend started in Gen Ziaul Haq’s era in 1981 and was followed by Gen Musharraf in 2000 and 2008,” he added.

Justice Wajih observed that judges were unable to do anything for the recovery of the “missing” persons because “a supper power is involved in the matter.” He alleged that the victims of “forced disappearance” had actually been handed over to the United States for $5,000 each.

He was of the view that the nation was faced with the prevailing crises because the judiciary was no more independent, adding that people had now become aware of this fact.

The former judge criticised the government for a constant hike in prices of petroleum products, wheat flour and other commodities, and suggested that fuel should be provided to consumers through the ration card system in order to prevent its unnecessary use and control its prices.

Amir of Jamaat-i-Islami, Sindh, Maulana Asadullah Bhutto, lawyers’ representative Javed Bukhari, JI leader Syed Shahid Ali and others attended the seminar.

Maulana Bhutto highlighted the cause of the sustained struggle spearheaded by the bench and bar and stressed the need for an independent judiciary, asserting that the nation could not survive without justice having been dispensed to common man without any hassle. He noted that the legal fraternity’s struggle was in its final phase.—PPI