LAHORE: Braving heat and police blockades, thousands of people, including lawyers, political workers and human rights activists, gathered at the Lahore High Court on Saturday evening to receive Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

Lahore High Court Bar Association’s president Ahsan Bhoon told reporters that at least 16 high court judges were among those who waited for the Chief Justice.

People continued to throng the LHC and its adjoining areas till the filing of this report after midnight. Workers of the Pakistan People’s Party, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf came out in large numbes to take part in the rally. They danced to the beats of drums as did lawyers, and chanted slogans against President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s government.

The reception arranged for the Chief Justice proved to be a big show of strength by the opposition and lawyers in the face of many obstacles created by the provincial government. “People have given their verdict. It’s time for change, and for democracy. Musharraf has to go now,” PPP leader Naheed Khan told reporters. Other opposition leaders also expressed similar views.

The government had deployed some 8,000 policemen in various parts of the provincial capital to control the law and order situation.