RAWALPINDI, Feb 7: Deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry on Saturday said without a strong bar and the support of the common man a superior court judge cannot sustain an external pressure.

He was addressing lawyers at the Lahore High Court Bar Association after administering oath to the newly-elected representatives of 18 different bars in Rawalpindi division.

He said like its predecessors in 1999, 1977 and 1958 the Supreme Court could not have given verdict against the November 3, 2007 ‘martial law’ had there been no support of the common man, law practitioners and political activists.

He said before blaming the judges who ratified different martial laws in the country, it should be kept in mind that there was nobody to stand with them in deciding against dictators. It was due to the lawyers’ struggle since March 9, 2007 that the SC did not endorse the unconstitutional step of November 3, 2007.

Urging the lawyers to continue struggle for independence of judiciary and also keep an eye on it after that, the deposed CJ said bar and bench were two wheels of a vehicle which supported each other.

Expressing surprise over government’s statements that he was involved in politics, Justice Chaudhry questioned participation of many members of the ruling coalition in the lawyers’ rallies before the February 18, 2008 general elections. He said at that time he was not considered a politician and after February elections they had started calling him a controversial figure despite the fact he had addressed no other function except those arranged by a bar.

Ijaz Afzal, a deposed judge of the Peshawar High Court, said reinstatement of the deposed judges was significant as it would ensure independence of judiciary in the future.

Calling the refusal of the deposed CJ to resign in 2007 a turning point in the judicial history of the country, he said only an independent judiciary was catalyst for a change towards a progressive and secure Pakistan.

Khwaja Sharif, a deposed judge of Lahore High Court, said the most important achievement of the lawyers’ movement so far was that people of the four provinces had been talking about rule of law in the country.

He urged Prime Minister Yusaf Raza Gilani to issue executive order to reinstate the deposed judges like he did to release the detained judges after coming to power.

Supreme Court Bar Association President Ali Ahmed Kurd vowed to stage a sit-in on March 16 on Constitutional Avenue, adding no power could stop them from reaching in front of the Parliament House.

Former SCBA President Aitzaz Ahsan called the decision of the sit-in till restoration of the deposed judges a very difficult idea. He said the lawyers had to show a good degree of perseverance and fortitude while sitting in Islamabad for more than one day.

A large number of lawyers and representatives of other bars were also present on the occasion. Earlier, the CJ reached the city in a rally and was welcomed by the lawyers at the Kachary Chowk.