CJ Iftikhar rules out politicisation of lawyers drive.

DASKA - Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has ruled out any possibility of politicisation of lawyers’ nationwide movement and said that the lawyers were battling for a noble cause of supremacy and rule of law through the early restoration of pre-Nov 3, 2007 judiciary. He said the lawyers’ movement was successfully moving towards the right direction and goal of reinstatement of deposed judges.

He stated this while addressing a large rally of lawyers organised by Sialkot District Bar Association late Saturday night. President Supreme Court Bar Association Ali Ahmad Kurd and former president Ch Aitzaz Ahsan were also present on this occasion.

The deposed CJ was accorded full official protocol by the government in Sialkot District. He received a historic welcome at Daska as well as at Sialkot.

The deposed CJ said that there was a complete unity in the ranks of lawyers and the menace of all the conspiracies of destabilising lawyers’ national movement had been curbed.

He said that rule of law was must for national development, prosperity, peace and justice and lawyers’ movement will continue till the restoration of pre-Nov 03, 2007 judiciary.

Iftikhar said he had refused to be dictated by former president Pervez Musharraf, which led to the ambush of the judiciary and subsequent imposition of the November 3 ‘martial law’.

He described the emergency rule as virtual martial law. “The difference between this and previous marital laws is that no assembly has endorsed it so far,” he said, hoping the incumbent assembly would never approve it.

About the February 18 polls, he said former president Musharraf had no role in these elections. “These elections were to take place at all cost on completion of five years of assemblies.

“I am the custodian of several things, but, I, being the chief justice, cannot make public these things. But I will reveal some non-classified facts,” he said.

He alleged the then rulers had used all tactics to stop announcement of a ruling against privatisation of Steel Mills but the Supreme Court had given its verdict in line with law and the Constitution.

link: http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Politics/09-Nov-2008/Iftikhar-rules-out-politicisation-of-lawyers-drive