SCBA not to accept any govt formula on deposed judges: Kurd.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Thursday reiterated its commitment to the cause of independent judiciary and vowed to stick to its principal stand on the restoration of November 2, 2007 judiciary and would not accept any formula of the government regarding the reinstatement of the deposed judges of the superior judiciary.

After the overwhelming victory of the professional group of lawyers in the recently held SCBA election, the government had reportedly offered talks to the legal fraternity on the issue of restoration of deposed judges of the superior judiciary.

“We would not accept the government’s any formula for the restoration of remaining deposed judges of the superior judiciary but would stress for restoration of November 2, 2007 judiciary,” newly elected SCBA President Ali Ahmed Kurd told The News.

He said they have not yet been formally invited by the government for talks; however, whenever they are invited, they would not accept any formula, including lessening the tenure of judges or any other option or any minus one formula, saying that they have already resolved that Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry is the constitutional chief justice of Pakistan.

Ali Ahmed Kurd, who remained as an active figure of Lawyers’ movement for the independence of judiciary, said that they would stress for the implementation of the Murree Declaration in letter and spirit, restoring the deposed judges of the superior judiciary who were made dysfunctional during the unconstitutional and illegal steps taken by the former military dictator on November 3, 2007.

“How can we get back from our longstanding demand since we are fighting the war for independence of judiciary, rule of law and supremacy of the Constitution, and how can we discourage millions of people who have been extending their untiring support to the legal fraternity for the last one and half year?” Kurd maintained.

He said that their overwhelming victory in the SCBA elections as well as successful protest by observing November 3 a “black day” is a clear indication to the government that millions of people who supported the lawyer’s protest are still looking forward to the independence of judiciary and rule of law.

Ali Ahmed Kurd expressed the hope that the legal fraternity would soon achieve its ultimate goal of restoration of all the remaining deposed judges, including Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, saying that their victory in the SCBA election has further encouraged the lawyers to expedite their movement with new spirit and enthusiasm.

To a question regarding large number of lawyers appearance before the courts despite their call to boycott the court proceedings every Thursday, the newly elected SCBA president said that they would soon be able to convince the lawyers to boycott the court proceedings on every Thursday, adding that everything would be settle down soon as they are going to evolve future course of strategy for expediting their movement for independence of judiciary.

On Thursday, 61 lawyers appeared before the Supreme Court at Islamabad. They include Hafiz S A Rehman senior advocate of the Supreme Court and Vice Chairman of Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) besides other senior advocates, including M Akram Sheikh, SM Zafar, Barrister Masood Kauser, Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada, Raja M Ibrahim Satti and others.

link: http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=18216