KARACHI, Feb 23: A deposed judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday, has urged the ruling parties not to renege on their promise of establishing the rule of law in the country.

Addressing a general body meeting of the Sindh High Court Bar Association held at the Iftikhar Hall on Monday, Justice Ramday lauded the lawyers’ movement for the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary.

He said that the masses had always strongly resisted the use of force by the government. How-ever, he said, in such confrontations there was a chance of a takeover by a mafia that could cause damage to institutions and put the integrity of the state at stake.

Expressing his implicit faith in the struggle of lawyers, he said that it would achieve its objectives since the legal fraternity was united for a noble cause without any consideration of language, caste or creed.

“The lawyers’ ongoing struggle has created awareness among the people regarding the rule of law and it is the movement for the survival of the country,” he said.

An independent judiciary was essential for the uplift and prosperity of a state, he said. He urged lawyers to continue their struggle for the rule of law, adding that their movement would strengthen Pakistan.

Justice Ramday, who headed the Supreme Court bench that gave the verdict of Chief Justice Iftikhar’s reinstatement in 2007, appreciated the sacrifices rendered by the lawyers of Karachi in particular and those of Sindh in general during the ongoing movement.

He said: “This movement is not being run for the employment of the deposed judges, but to bring back to the country the rule of law, which means that no one is above the law. Every citizen is bound to respect and follow the law of the state and everybody must function within their limits as described by the law.”

President of the Sindh High Court Bar Association Rasheed A. Razvi said the lawyers’ movement had exposed the present government, which was neither ready to reinstate the deposed judges nor prepared to undo the illegal and unconstitutional steps of the then army chief taken on Nov 3, 2007.

He alleged that the PPP-led coalition government was toeing the policies of Musharraf regime.

Justice Mushir Alam, a deposed judge of the Sindh High Court, retired Justice Fakhruddin G. Ibrahim and lawyers’ representatives were also present.

PBC criticised

Meanwhile, talking to media persons at the Sindh Bar Council’s office on Monday, president of the Supreme Court Bar Association Ali Ahmed Kurd criticised the Pakistan Bar Council for making certain moves that were, according to him, damaging the lawyers’ movement.

He said that the PBC showed an irresponsible attitude by barring the chairman of the executive committee of the Sindh Bar Council and its sub-committees from work which, according to him, was unfair.