NEW YORK A large number of Pakistani-Americans are gathered at New Yorks JFK airport to accord a warm welcome to the former Chief Justice of Supreme Court Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry when he arrives here to receive Honorary Membership of the New York City Bar Association, considered a high  honour.

Pakistan Embassy officials including Consul General Mohsin Razi was at the airport to welcome the deposed chief Justice when he arrives here by Emirates Airlines. 

Razi told reporters, he was at the airport to welcome former chief justice 'as a prominent Pakistani personality We will give him full protocol', he added. 

The New York Bar Associations award was announced in absentia last January, as Justice Chaudhry was under house arrest after his ouster and the suspension of the Pakistani Constitution by former President Pervez Musharraf in November last year.
 
Justice Chaudhry will also travel to Boston (Massachusetts) to receive Harvard Law School's Medal of Freedom. on November 18.

On November 14th, 2007, the City and State Bars, along with several other organizations, organized a rally of some 700 lawyers on the steps of the New York Supreme Court in Manhattan in support of Justice Chaudhry and the Pakistan Lawyers Movement.

Chaudhry will formally receive the honorary membership on November 17, a press release of the New York City Bar Association said, which also took note of the fact that despite the emergence of an elected government in Pakistan, he has not been restored to his position.

'The award of Honorary Membership recognizes Chief Justice Chaudhry's efforts to uphold Pakistan's independent judiciary, the press release said. Previous recipients include Chief Justice William Rehnquist of the US Supreme Court, Chief Justice Bhagwati of the Indian Supreme Court and Judge Thomas Buergenthal of the International Court of Justice.

Chief Justice Chaudhry will also travel to Boston (Massachusetts) to receive Harvard Law School's Medal of Freedom on November 18. He is also expected to speak at George Town University in Washington DC on Nov 24 before returning home.