| So the Pakistani police aren't all bad ... |
ISLAMABAD - Police resorted to a whiff of grape light baton charge to disperse a rally of leaders of bar associations and civil society activists converging here from across the country to demand restoration of deposed judges including chief justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry.
President of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, who led the rally outside the Parliament House, rejected governmentÂ’s move to invite judges to take fresh oath after reappointment though with previous seniority. He said the government action is illegal and can be challenged by new judges who claim to be senior to the reappointed judges under the constitution.
He said the lawyers would also not accept reinstatement of judges without Justice Iftikhar.
But the government said it recognised only current chief justice Hameed Dogar as legitimate head of the Supreme Court. Emphasising that there could not be two chief justices of the Supreme Court. Information Minister Sherry Rehman said Justice Dogar is the chief justice of entire Pakistan and not that of Asif Zardari as the lawyers are depicting him.
Attorney-General Latif Khosa said Zardari does not want to restore the chief justice. However, if he is invited to take fresh oath, he can work under Dogar and his seniority cannot be restored. He said it will be up to the government to invite any number of the deposed judges to take oath. Those who are not called or decline to take oath would be regarded as retired, he added.
Naek, talking to reporters outside the Parliament House, urged lawyers to terminate their agitation and let judges to take fresh oath. He said the government has extended old perks and seniority to all those who have agreed to take fresh oath. |