KARACHI, Nov 3 Lawyers, political workers and members of civil society observed a black day on Monday to condemn the imposition of a provisional constitution order in the country by retired General Pervez Musharraf on Nov 3, 2007, removal of more than 60 judges of the superior courts, and failure of the PPP-led coalition government to restore the judiciary to its pre-Nov 3 position.
On a countrywide call given by the lawyers` national coordination council, black flags were hoisted on the premises of the City Courts and District Courts Malir to protest against the unconstitutional steps taken by the former army chief on Nov 3, 2007. Legal proceedings at the City Courts and District Courts Malir remained suspended on Monday since the lawyers boycotted the court proceedings, while the under-trial prisoners were also not brought to the courts. All business activities on the court premises also remained suspended.

The lawyers, wearing armbands, marched on M.A. Jinnah Road after attending a general body meeting of the Karachi Bar Association held at the Shuhda-i-Punjab Hall of the City Courts. They staged a sit-in on the thoroughfare. Traffic on the M.A. Jinnah Road remained suspended for an hour till the protesters dispersed peacefully.

Surrounded by heavy contingents of law-enforcement agencies, provincial leadership and workers of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Jamaat-i-Islami, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf, and other component parties of the All-Pakistan Democratic Movement, Pasban, and members of the civil society participated in the demonstration. Workers of the Muhajir Quami Movement (Haqiqi) also made their first appearance on Monday in any rally of the legal fraternity.

Holding placards, banners and flags, the protesters chanted slogans against the government and in favour of the deposed chief justice of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

KBA president Mahmoodul Hasan criticised the rulers for not restoring the independence of the judiciary and predicted that the days of the PPP-led government were numbered as it was following Musharraf`s polices even after his departure. He said the Pakistan People`s Party not only refused to honour its commitments regarding the reinstatements of deposed judges but also disregard the assurance made by its assassinated chairperson outside the residence of Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry where she said that after coming in power her party would reinstate the deposed chief justice to his pre-Nov 3 position.

Unconditional support

Leaders of political parties offered unconditional support for the lawyers` movement. They said Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry was a symbol of an independent judiciary and the rule of law.
Mohammad Hussain Mehnati, a leader of the Jamaat-i-Islami, said that Pervez Musharraf had declared emergency to avoid a possible verdict of the Supreme Court against his presidential candidature. He assured the lawyers that his party offered unconditional support for their ongoing struggle for the independence of the judiciary.

Condemning the imposition of the provisional constitution order, Saleem Zia of the PML-N
demanded the trial of the military dictator under Article 6 of the Constitution in order to avoid
military`s intervention in politics.

He deplored that the government failed to restore the judiciary`s independence despite all its assurances and commitments.

`Pressure tactics`

A former judge of the Supreme Court, Wajihuddin Ahmed, earlier addressed the crowded general body meeting of the Karachi Bar Association. He said that Pervez Musharraf had pressured the petitioners who challenged his candidature for presidential polls in the apex court to withdraw their petitions.

“When I filed a petition against Musharraf`s eligibility a person came to me and said the president wanted to settle the matter amiably,” he recalled.

Mr Ahmed was of the view that the petitions of Imran Khan and Qazi Hussain were rejected by the apex court on the flimsy ground that the petitioners were not the aggrieved parties.

The army general declared a state of emergency and suspended the constitution as he came to
know that a majority of judges was about to declare him ineligible and the basic procedure in this regard was completed, the retired judge added.

He said that Chaudhry Shujaat had also admitted this in a television interview that there was no other option for Musharraf but to impose the provisional constitution order as the Supreme Court was going to declare him ineligible.

Lawyers were struggling for the restoration of the independent judiciary, the rule of law, the supremacy of the constitution and for a welfare state, he said, adding that the movement would continue till all the objectives were achieved.

Meanwhile, former acting chief justice of the Supreme Court Justice Rana Bhagwandas addressed the Malir Bar Association.

Lauding the contributions of the Malir bar, he said the indefatigable movement of lawyers was for the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law and the nation was also behind them. He expressed the hope that the lawyers would continue their struggle with the same zeal and fervour
as, according to him, they were about to achieve the goal.

Later, lawyers took out a rally and staged a sit-in on the National Highway.