December 08, 2007	Saturday	Ziqa'ad 27, 1428

RAWALPINDI, Dec 7: Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has described the ongoing countrywide protests against the state of emergency and removal of superior courts judges by the regime an opportunity for the political parties to push for establishing the rule of law in the country.

He stated this while addressing a seminar on crisis of judiciary, media and rule of law organised by the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) here on Friday. Doctors, lawyers, civil society members and journalists attended the seminar.

The core purpose of emergency was to oust the judges of the supreme and high courts thought to be against the unconstitutional steps of the military-led government and all accusations against the deposed judges were nothing but a joke, the PTI chairman maintained. Participation in the upcoming elections was tantamount to giving legitimacy to the unlawful actions of the Musharraf regime, he added.

Emphasising upon independence of judiciary to ensure rule of law in the country, he said corrupt elements always made their way into the government and tried to undermine the independence of judiciary to remain in power.

The PTI chief criticised Mutahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) chief, Maulana Fazulur Rehman for making remarks against the deposed judges and accused him of helping the military general to become the president in uniform. He called for getting rid of western governments’ influence in the internal affairs of Pakistan.

Speaking on the occasion, Justice (retired) Fakhuruddin G Ibrahim said Pakistan was not made for army rule because the army rule was negation of the constitution and, therefore, of Pakistan. He underlined that the 1973 constitution envisaged unity of the country without which the federation could not exist. He stressed that the judges who took oath under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) should be socially boycotted to show disapproval of their character.

The ex-president Supreme Court Bar Association, Hamid Khan called the existing situation as the moment for a positive change.

Vice-president of Rawalpindi-Islamabad Press Club, Jamil Mirza vowed that the journalist community would continue to fight for its freedom.

In his welcome address, the PMA president Dr Muhammad Arshad Rana said the present regime developed no institution in the country except army.

He said nobody felt safe in Pakistan because even the justices of the supreme and high courts were being meted out injustice.