South Punjab bars ‘out of bounds’ for Khosa, Naek

MULTAN, Oct 27: A lawyers’ convention has barred president of Pakistan, federal law minister and attorney general from entering all the barrooms in southern Punjab for allegedly taking a stance detrimental to the lawyers’ cause.

“The entry of each and every person who is against the lawyers’ movement for the restoration of deposed judges is banned, whether he is President Asif Ali Zardari, Law Minister Farooq A Naek and Attorney-General Latif Khan Khosa,” a resolution passed by participants of the convention attended by representatives of all bar councils of southern Punjab stated here on Monday.

The convention also rejected Pakistan Bar Council decision suspending the licenses of the Lahore High Court Bar’s Multan Bench President Mahmood Ashraf Khan and Secretary-General Rana Naveed Ahmad, removal of both office-bearers from their posts and nomination of acting president and secretary-general.

It warned some PBC members against using the bar against the lawyers’ cause while erasing the name of Attorney General Latif Khan Khosa from the “roll of honour” of high court bar due to his allegedy interference in the matters of bar and taking a stance detrimental to the lawyer’s cause.

Addressing the convention, LHC Justice Shahid Saddiqui (retired) said during the past 60 years, rulers had always suppressed the judiciary by sending the dissenting judges home in violation of the Constitution.

He said he felt proud that he did not take oath under PCO because it was the responsibility of judges to protect the Constitution.

Another retired judge of the LHC, Justice Jahangir Arshad, said now being a lawyer he would not appear before any PCO judge.

He demanded the Punjab government should initiate a trial against a former Sahiwal DPO who was allegedly responsible for the burn injuries caused to scores of lawyers when they were protesting against the suspension of the Constitution last year.

He said the PBC had suspended the licenses of seven members of Bahawalpur Bar who had launched a campaign to remove the bar president.

He said Athar Bokhari should restrict him for elections and should avoid to interfering in the matters of high court bar association.

President LHC’s Multan Bar Mahmood Ahraf Khan said appointment of acting bar president and secretary-general and suspension of lawyer’s licenses had brought a bad name to the PBC.

Later, the participants of convention held a rally from the high court building to SP Chowk. They chanted slogans against Latif Khosa, Farooq A Naek and Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar.

South Punjab bars ‘out of bounds’ for Khosa, Naek -DAWN - National; October 28, 2008

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Lawyers for unconditional reinstatement of judges

Lawyers will not accept any constitutional package and amendment that affects reinstatement of the deposed judges including deposed Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

If any steps are taken against the Murree Declaration, the lawyers will relaunch their movement, said Supreme Court Bar Association member Sheikh Ahsanuddin here on Friday.

He said conspiracies were being hatched against the Murree Declaration, whereby the coalition partners had made a commitment to have the deposed judges reinstated within 30 days of the formation of a new government.

The conspiracy is aimed to sabotage the plan of the new government about the reinstatement of all the deposed judges, he added.

The deposed judges are a beacon for the people and nothing short of their unconditional and complete restoration would satisfy them, he said.

He said lawyers’ struggle was aimed at strengthening national institutions including parliament and the judiciary. He paid tribute to the deposed judges for not bowing before the rulers.

Agencies adds: Lawyers have said they will announce their future strategy if deposed judges were not reinstated within the period as promised under the Murree Declaration.

“Lawyers community supports the decision of Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, president Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), giving a timeframe to the government for reinstatement of the deposed judges,” this was stated by Sardar Asmatullah Niazi, president Rawalpindi High Court Bar Association, and Athar Minallah, member Pakistan Bar Council, while talking to journalists outside the residence of the deposed chief justice in Islamabad on Friday.

They said lawyers would not create any problem or difficulty for the government during these 30 days.

Lawyers for unconditional reinstatement of judges -DAWN - National; April 05, 2008

lawyers clearly oppose the method being adopted by PPP... so do I... n so should everyone of us... unconditional reinstatement would make future vioators think that their orders can be reversed, they r not the ultimate power... adopting any other means for reinstatement would strengthen their belief that they own the country n can do whtever they want to do with it, nobody wiil b able to challenge their decision

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Two third majority not needed for restoration of judges: Aitezaz

LAHORE: President, Supreme Court Bar Association Aitezaz Ahsan Wednesday demanded all the judges be released and restored; two third majority is not requisite for the reinstatement of judges, as only executive orders can restore them.

Addressing a press conference, Ahsan said if the deposed judges are restored, then the apex court will decide about the subsequent judges, adding Supreme Court can do so in the light of Al-Jihad Trust case.

'The present judges were not entitled to deliver the verdict in favour of President Pervez Musharraf; as, the judges related with this verdict were the beneficiaries of this decision, accordingly, they cannot pass the judgement on President Musharraf case,' he maintained.

How can the apex court entitle someone to introduce amendment in the constitution, when the apex court in itself is devoid of amending the constitution, he observed.

Aitezaz Ahsan demanded President Musharraf to quit his office.

He said Benazir Bhutto declared in front of the whole world that Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry is the actual chief justice of Pakistan and PPP cannot back down on this.

Vowing to arrive in Islamabad at the earliest to work for the restoration of the judiciary, Ahsan said PPP stance regarding independence of judiciary is very clear cut, adding, 'If the judges are free to act, then resultantly, judiciary would be independent.'

Ahsan said he would go somewhere to relax for two to three months following the freedom of judiciary.

Commenting on elections results, he maintained the coalition governments will be formed except in Sindh and anti-Musharraf forces will make alliance.

'No minister from the former government won the elections, if anyone from the coterie came, it was due to PML-N ticket,' he said.

Aitezaz said there was only one condition in which PPP could have worked with President Musharraf, if the candidates backed by Musharraf had won the elections; however, the people rejected the Pro-Musharraf candidates.

Aitezaz clarified that he was not aspirant of any office in case Musharraf is brought to impeachment.

He held Makhdoom Amin Fahim the most suitable candidate for the premiership, adding the next prime minister of Pakistan should be chosen from Sindh after martyrdom of Mohatarma Benazir Bhutto, as she always reposed confidence in him.

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Lawyers unveil plan for ‘Iftikhar Day’

Source: The News International

Besides the Lawyers community, the HRCP and the People’s Resistance to also take part in the protest

The lawyers community will stage a protest demonstration on Thursday to celebrate “Iftikhar Day” at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) to express solidarity with the deposed Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

The call for a country-wide protest demonstration was given by the Sindh High Court (SHC), and was later endorsed by the Pakistan Bar Council, which, in a joint meeting, declared to observe January 31 as ‘Iftikhar Day’ to salute the former chief justice for his continuous detention since March 9, when he was made non-functional by the President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf.

Giving plans for the day, President Sindh High Court Bar Association (SHCBA), Rashid Razvi, in a joint press conference at the Shuda-e-Punjab Hall on Tuesday, informed journalists that all the bars of the country would observe the day by holding demonstrations, protest processions and seminars across the country to pay homage to deposed Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

General-Secretary, Karachi Bar Association (KBA), Naeem Qureshi, while giving details of the protest plan, said that all 310 bars of the country, including the Supreme Court Bar Association, Pakistan Bar council, Sindh Bar Council, all the high court bars of the country and the Malir Bar Association (MBA), endorsed the decision.

He disclosed that the elected body of the KBA, along with its members, would reach the SHC in a form of a caravan, where MBA members would also join in. A joint governing body meeting would be held at the SHC, from where thousands of lawyers would march towards the KPC.

He appealed to all civil society organisations, NGOs, students’ bodies, political party leaders, labour unions and other concerned citizens to join the rally to voice their protest against the illegal detention of the CJP and their support for the revival of democracy, rule of law and restoration of all judges deposed after promulgation of emergency on November 3.

The procession to the KPC from the SHC would be led by Rasheed Razvi. Speaking to journalists, the SHCBA president said that no judge in the world had ever been detained, which was, unfortunately, the case for jugdes in Pakistan.

He said that the CJP was to appear before the review board, but, to date, the government had been unable to produce him there, nor was any habeas corpus filed by any lawyer for his detention.

He further said that, unfortunately, while most wanted criminals such as Rashid Rauf were at large, a respected CJP was under detention. Razvi said that the CJP was not even allowed to offer Eid prayers, as if he was a hardened criminal.

He said that the action against the judiciary, media and other segments of society was taken by the government only to prolong one man’s rule,

Judges who were removed under the PCO would also address the gathering on “Iftikhar Day”, informed Razvi, who, however, added that their names could not be disclosed due to security reasons, as they would be placed under house arrest, he apprehended.

Vice President of Malir Bar Association, Ashraf Samoo, also endorsed the call.

Replying to a question, Razvi said that the HRCP has supported the call, while a civil society organisation, the People’s Resistance, has also backed it. He said that no political parties have approached the lawyers in this regard.

The political parties were, however, requested to include the restoration of judges in their election manifesto, which would help lead the country towards real democracy. During a meeting with Asif Zardari at Naudero, Qureshi said, they requested him to include the demand for an independent judiciary in the PPP election campaign.

so many awards for Pakistani Judges and Lawyers: Another one

Source: New York Law Journal & New York State Bar Association (NYSBA)

Annual Award for Distinction in International Law and Affairs presented to the Lawyers and Judges of Pakistan, as represented by Aitzaz Ahsan, in asbentia

Embattled judges and vulnerable children are among the issues to be taken up this week as more than 5,000 lawyers gather at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square for the annual meeting of the New York State Bar Association.

The International Law and Practice Section tomorrow (Wed. Jan. 29th 2008) gives its annual award for distinction in international law and affairs in absentia to Aitzaz Ahsan, on behalf of the lawyers and judges of Pakistan. Much of that country’s legal and judicial community has been in conflict with Pakistan’s leadership since President Perves Musharraf suspended the constitution and replaced seven of the 11 members of the Supreme Court.

Mr. Ahsan, president of the Pakistan Supreme Court Bar Association, has been under frequent arrest for his efforts to restore Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry as chief justice.

Earlier this month, the New York City Bar Association granted honorary membership to Justice Chaudhry. In November, the city and state bars, as well as the New York County Lawyers’ Association, organized a rally attended by about 700 people at Manhattan Supreme Court in support of Pakistan’s lawyers and judges.