KARACHI, Jan 16: President of the Supreme Court Bar Association Ali Ahmed Kurd said on Friday that the second long march scheduled for March 9 would prove to be the final round of indefatigable movement of lawyers.

Addressing the general body meeting of Malir Bar Association held at the bar room on Friday, the firebrand lawyer stated that it was the lawyers’ movement that had forced General Musharraf to doff his uniform and let the exiled politicians return to their homeland. He said that for the reinstatement of the deposed judges the masses had given politicians a heavy mandate in the Feb 18 general elections, but afterwards the rulers refused to fulfill their pledge.

He was of the view that an independent judiciary was essential for a civilised and democratic society but the parliament was not playing its due role for the restoration of Nov 2, 2007 judiciary only because it was held hostage by certain elements.

“A parliament without the concept of an independent judiciary will not be acceptable anymore,” he said, adding that Justice Iftikhar was being treated as the chief justice by the masses as they wanted an independent judiciary in the country and were standing by the lawyers for his reinstatement.

While asking the masses to participate in the long march, the SCBA chief said March 9 would change the destiny of the country, adding that he was sure that Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and other deposed judges would be reinstated to their pre-PCO positions after the long march.

Justice Iftikhar due today