LAHORE, Oct 31: Aitzaz Ahsan, the outgoing president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, on Friday criticised the top politicians for disowning their promise of restoring deposed chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

Addressing a press conference on the lapse of his tenure as the president of the SCBA, he said the top political leaders of the country, including Asif Ali Zardari, Mian Nawaz Sharif, Asfandyar Wali and Maulana Fazlur Rehman, made commitments with the nation for restoration of all the deposed judges.

“But so far these promises remain unfulfilled. The top leaders holding such prestigious offices should not behave in such a manner and should abide by their commitment not only with the lawyers but with the whole nation,” he said.

He said the next phase of the lawyers’ movement would start on Nov 3 which would be marked as a ‘black day’ like the previous year. He called it the worst day in the history of the country when the chief justice of Pakistan, two chief justices of high courts and many judges with their families were arrested and detained.

“The lawyers want accountability of those who were responsible for the doomsday in the judicial history of the world,” he said, adding that the lawyers would hold black flag rallies with two hours’ sit-in on Nov 3 in three provinces (Balochistan would not be part of it due to earthquake).

Aitzaz said Iftikhar Chaudhry would address the joint session of the Rawalpindi high court and district bar associations from where the lawyers would take him to his Islamabad residence. Later, the lawyers would observe a two-hour sit-in at the Constitution Avenue or Parade Ground in Islamabad.

The chief justice during his address would disclose some facts he kept to himself so far, he said. He added that the chief justice would not participate in the lawyers’ sit-in.

On Nov 15, the chief justice would leave for New York, where he would address the Pakistani community. During his USA visit, he would deliver a lecture at the For Ham Law College on Nov 18 and also attend a function at the Harvard University where he would be decorated with the Medal of Freedom.

Aitzaz appreciated the lawyers for what he said their heroic struggle for the independence of judiciary against all ‘barbaric acts’ which include the burning of the lawyers. He said it was the lawyers’ pressure that brought about restoration of (some) judges through fresh oath.

He said the SCBA outgoing body spent a very active and hectic year during which it achieved the goal of Musharraf's ouster, and the efforts for the restoration of the deposed judges would continue.