LAHORE, August 19: Justice Wajihuddin Ahmad (retired) has said the lawyer's movement for the restoration of the deposed judges would continue till the establishment of a fair system of justice in the country.

He was addressing a seminar arranged by Judicial Activism Panel (JAP) on ‘Restoration of Judiciary’ here on Tuesday at the Karachi Shuhada Hall of the Lahore High Court Bar Association.

Justice Wajih said the lawyer's movement created awareness among the masses as today even a layman could debate national issues with a clear understanding. He said there was no need of a constitutional package or an executive order to restore the judges, who could return to their offices and resume work after a mere announcement by the government.

“Lawyers had accepted the condition of restoration through an executive order by the coalition partners only to prove that they believed in the supremacy of parliament,” he added. Referring to a possibility that the government might restore the judges through an Ordinance, Justice Wajih said the lawyers would never accept such a move.

He also refused to welcome the reappointment of sacked judges instead of their restoration. He said lawyers kept silent at governments’ comments that the judges, who swore under the Provisional Constitution Order, would work along the 'deposed' judges. He added their silence should not be misconstrued as acceptance of the government’s intention.

He said the PCO judges were not acceptable to the lawyers in any case and their removal did not require any legal amendment. “The people would compel these judges to leave the courtrooms,” he added.

He also demanded the parliament should enhance the service tenure of 'deposed' judges by adding the period they spent out of their courts.

Speaking on the occasion, Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) member Hamid Khan said the lawyers would not accept any minus-one or minus-two formula, adding they would never allow ‘PCO judges’ working with the sacked judges after their restoration.

He hoped the parliament would not treat “Islamabad Declaration” in the way the coalition partners treated the Murree Accord. Lawyers, he added, would not compromise on judges” restoration and no deposed judge would accept his restoration without Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry’s.

He said Musharraf should face the consequences Raza Shah Pehalvi of Iran did after his forced ouster. Mr Khan said the abettors of Musharraf should also be taken to task adding that those who betrayed the nation should also be brought to the justice.

LHCBA President Anwar Kamal, former president Ahmad Awais, Secretary SCBA Amin Javed and JAP chairman Azhar Siddique also spoke on the occasion.

Meanwhile, on the call of the Supreme Court Bar Association, lawyers celebrated the resignation of Pervez Musharraf.

Despite summer vacation in the Lahore High Court, a large number of lawyers were witnessed inside the barrooms discussing the possibility of judges’ restoration. Several lawyers distributed sweets among their colleagues.

Though LHCBA also distributed sweets among its members, president Anwar Kamal told the lawyers the bar would hold celebrations the day the judges got restored.