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| Suspended Pak Chief Justice seeks independent judiciary | | |
ISLAMABAD, MAR 28
Obviously buoyed by the support he got from the bench and the bar, Pakistan's suspended Chief Justice Iftikar Muhammed Choudhry today drove in the company of lawyers to the bar council where he called for an independent judiciary and rule of law, in an apparent attack on President Pervez Musharraf.
Stirring out of his house and accompanied by over 500 lawyers in a cavalcade of cars, Justice Choudhry made his first public appearance and a speech at the bar coucil meeting in nearby Rawalpindi town.
Taking all precautions not to make any reference to the action against him by President Musharraf on charges of misuse of authority, he said "it is the duty of the Government and the Constitution to respect and observe the independence of judiciary".
He said it was the responsibility of the Government to give a free hand to the judiciary so that it can take right decisions at the right time. "The country can sustain tyranny but cannot survive without justice," he said.
Unlike his outings on March 12 and March 16 during which heavy violence took place following attempts by police to restrict his movements, Chaudhry driven by his lawyer, Atezaj Ahsan went to Rawalpindi without any obstruction from police.
He was given a rousing reception on his arrival at the Lahore High Court bench in Rawalpindi by a large gathering of lawyers.
In the coming days he is due to address bar council meetings in cities like Peshawar and plans to travel from Islamabad to attend road side receptions by local lawyers' associations on the way. However, a meeting planned in Peshawar for March 30 has been put off, his lawyers announced.
At the Rawalpindi meeting, Chaudhry said he would not speak anything about the controversy over his suspension nor about the trial by the Supreme Judicial Council set up to go into allegations against him.
"A civilised society is unthinkable in the absence of free, fair and impartial system of administration of justice," he said in his first formal address since he has been made non-functional on March nine.
"The dispensation of the justice secures citizens' liberty, equality and other rights. This is essential for economic growth and socio-political development," he added.
He said that judiciary is one of the organs of the state which is also called the pillar of the state and its function is to interpret the laws made by the legislature.
He said that free and independent judiciary should be guaranteed by the state and enshrined in the Constitution or the law of the country, adding it is the duty of the government and other institutions to respect and observe the independence of the judiciary.
Chaudhry also said the judiciary should decide matters before them impartially, on the basis of facts and in accordance with the law, without any restrictions, improper influence, inducements, pressure, threats and interference from any quarter.
He also praised the bar for supporting him and the judges who resigned in protest.
President of Supreme Court Bar Association, Muneer A Malik who was also his defence lawyer in his speech said that March nine (when the Chief Justice was made non-functional) is the day of courage in the judicial history of Pakistan.
"It is the first time in judicial history that Chief Justice looked into the eyes of Army Chief and refused to resign," he said.
He said that the reference against the Chief Justice is malafide and should be withdrawn unconditionally. |
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