ISLAMABAD, April 9: President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan announced on Wednesday that he had withheld his decision to resign from the SCBA post, and accused the presidency of trying to sabotage the fledgling democracy and jeopardising the Bhurban Declaration on restoring pre-emergency judges.

“I am withholding the decision for a day to convince and consult the legal community since the entire executive committee of the SCBA as well as the presidents of different high court bars and districts bars have warned me that they would do the same if I quit,” he told reporters at his residence here.

Barrister Ahsan had announced to resign as SCBA president soon after the roughing up of former minister Dr Sher Afgan Niazi in Lahore.

He also said he intended to contest by-elections for the NA-55 seat in Rawalpindi and said that donning two caps – member of parliament and SCBA president – was not incompatible.

He, however, said that he would continue to support the lawyers’ movement even if he resigned, adding that he had driven the deposed chief justice in different cities and, at the same time, argued his case first before the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) and then the 13-member Supreme Court bench hearing Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry’s petition.

“Though I cannot wipe the slate clean but by announcing my intention to resign I wanted to shake the conscience of the people, and especially the legal fraternity and of President Pervez Musharraf,” he observed.

Referring to the beating up of Dr Afgan and the treatment meted out to Arbab Ghulam Raheem, he alleged that such incidents were taking place because President Musharraf had refused to accept the people’s mandate of Feb 18. “He (President Musharraf) should not act like a spoilt child,” he observed.He also demanded that an inquiry committee be set up to look into the Dr Afgan incident and said that in future no lawyer would act contrary to the norms or decency in any manner.

He said being in a responsible position he felt that it was his duty to risk his life to save the former minister who, according to him, was manhandled by policemen in plainclothes and intelligence people. He said his allegations were supported by the fact that the driver of the vehicle was missing when Dr Afgan was rescued. Besides, only one Superintendent of Police and a dozen constables were on duty to handle such a charged situation.

He had gone there along with lawyers Manzoor Qadir and Anwar Kamal and, he said, everyone obeyed him and helped Dr Afgan.

He asked why had the Governor of Punjab, the caretaker chief minister, former chief minister Pervez Ellahi and the inspector-general of police, who were accusing lawyers, failed to show up at the scene to protect Dr Afgan.

He asked them where were they when he was beaten up in Islamabad at the time of filing of nomination papers of President Musharraf before the Election Commission.

Referring to the incidents of lawlessness in Karachi, he called up the leaders of the MQM to calm the situation in the city.