World | Pakistan
Chaudhry addresses lawyers at Supreme Court
Deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry visited the Supreme Court here on Sunday for the first time since his ouster by former President Pervez Musharraf last year.
- By Shahid Hussain, Correspondent
- Published: 00:55 October 21, 2008
Islamabad: Deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry visited the Supreme Court here on Sunday for the first time since his ouster by former President Pervez Musharraf last year.
Police allowed him and accompanying lawyers to drive, after a thorough search of their cars, to the apex court where Chaudhry met the bar members and briefly addressed them.
The sacked Chief Justice, whose return to the judiciary as head of the Supreme Court has been ruled out by the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) government, said the parliament had yet to decide on the validity or invalidity of Musharraf's actions of November 3, 2007.
Until the parliament decides on it, the country's constitution would effectively remain in limbo, Justice Chaudhry said.
Sweeping strike
In his sweeping strike on November 3, 2007, in the face of a possible judicial verdict against his controversial re-election, Musharraf had imposed emergency rules, suspended the constitution and sent scores of superior courts' judges home.
The PPP government has taken back many of the deposed judges through reappointment and fresh oath, a procedure condemned by the lawyers' leaders who say Chaudhry's restoration as chief justice was indispensable for an independent judiciary.
Justice Chaudhry's visit to the Supreme Court bar comes ahead of the forthcoming elections of the top court's bar association, in which fiery leader of the lawyers, Ali Ahmad Kurd, is contesting for bar president - a post currently held by Aitzaz Ahsan.
The former Chief Justice said the lawyers' struggle for independent judiciary would not fade out and it would achieve its goal.
Justice Chaudhry said he would make some important disclosures in his address to a convention of lawyers, to be held on November 3.
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