Thanksgiving day today.

LAHORE: Terming President Musharrafís resignation a victory of the lawyersí movement, the legal fraternity has announced to observe Tuesday (today) as a ìThanksgiving Dayî.

On Monday, soon after the president in his address to the nation announced to resign from his office, the City lawyers came out on The Mall road and celebrated the ouster of the dictator. The jubilant lawyers shouted slogans of ‘Go Musharraf Go,’ and hugged one another in joy at the premises of Lahore High Court and Aiwan-e-Adal.

They were of the view lawyerís unyielding movement and sacrifices they rendered for the restoration of democracy and independent judiciary had made the president bow out. However, they said it was a partial victory for the lawyers because as their ultimate goal was the re-instatement of Nov-2 judiciary.

Leaders of the bar associations also distributed sweets among the lawyers and the people who were dancing on the tune of drumbeats. All the barrooms of the LHCBA and the LBA were filled with lawyers as they remained sitting before TVs to watch the last address of Musharraf.

The political activists and representatives of the civil society were also present outside the LHC building. They congratulated lawyers and hoped the judges would be restored soon. As the lawyers were celebrating their success, the commuters also stopped their vehicles and joined the celebrations. The lady lawyers who stood shoulder to shoulder with their male colleagues during the movement also joined the celebrations and distributed sweets.

The dancing lawyers also demanded to bring Musharraf to justice for usurping the Constitution. They urged the parliament to restore the Nov-2 judiciary forthwith as they believed that the main hurdle had been removed.

Hamid Khan, one of the top leaders of lawyers, said after Musharrafís resignation, the parliament should restore all the deposed judges within three days according to ìIslamabad declarationî signed by the coalition partners on August 6. He said Musharraf’s resignation was first step towards their destination. He said lawyers’ slogan ‘Go Musharraf Go’ was practically fulfilled and the government according to its promise with the people should restore all the judges as soon as possible.

Expressing pleasure on Musharrafís resignation, President LHCBA Anwar Kamal said it was a historical day in the country history. ìWe thank the Allah Almighty and salute nation who wholeheartedly supported lawyersí movementî, he added.

Secretary Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) Rana Asadullah Khan said the lawyers would observe ìThanksgiving Dayî on Thursday to celebrate the ouster of the dictator. However, he said Pervez Musharraf should be tried under Article 6 to set an example for military men in future. He said as the usurper of the Constitution has been quitted and there is no more restriction or curb on parliament in restoring the ëdeposedí judges.

Member Pakistan Bar Council Hafiz Abdul Rehman Ansari said the resignation of President Musharraf was not enough compensation for the nation and he (Musharraf) should be tried under article 6 for subverting the constitution and sacking the judges. He said he should be hanged and not be allowed to escape the country in the darkness of the night.

SCBA media advisor Muhammad Azhar Siddique said the new president after resignation of president Musharraf should take oath from Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry because he is the constitutional Chief Justice of Pakistan. He urged the government to restore Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry before the new president takes oath.

Former president LHCBA Firdous Butt said the whole nation had been waiting for the day and the resignation of General Æ Pervez Musharraf was the great success of the lawyerís moment. He said now legal fraternity would bring him to justice where he would have to answer for all of his crimes.

Former finance secretary LHCBA Rabbiya Bajwa said the nation was looking forward to this day and now Musharraf has to face trail for his crimes that he had committed in during his unconstitutional regime. She said the lawyerís moment would succeed and all the deposed judges would be restored.

link: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=130786