Aitzaz warns incoming parliament after release
By our correspondent
LAHORE: Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Aitzaz Ahsans 120-day-long house arrest came to an end on Sunday when the provincial government decided not to extend the detention orders any further in the wake of expected change in the government. Soon after, the lawyer leader warned the incoming parliament to restore the judges, failing which the lawyers and masses will take to the streets.
The Punjab home department removed the police cordon and barricades placed outside Aitzazs Zaman Park residence. Home Secretary Khusro Pervez told The News that the government had decided to release Aitzaz Ahsan following the completion of the first phase of transfer of power.
Aitzaz Ahsan had been released earlier too for one day but then arrested and placed under house arrest. Aitzaz Ahsan was arrested soon after the promulgation of emergency on November 3, 2007, by President General Pervez Musharraf. Then, he was confined to Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, for nearly three weeks before being brought to his Lahore residence and placed under house arrest. Immediately after his release, Aitzaz announced a black-flag week that would be held from March 9 to 15 for the lawyers and asked the civil society, political workers, students and citizens to add to the strength of the rallies, which will be taken out by lawyers across the country.
He gave the new parliament some breathing time and announced to delay the long march till March 9 so that the upcoming parliament could get time to fulfill the promises they had made about the restoration of judiciary and elimination of dictatorship from the country.
The new government should be given some time to restore the judges, failing which the lawyers and masses will take to the streets. I am grateful to all civil society members for being so supportive and active on the issue of judiciary and against the detentions of lawyers and judges. We have delayed the long march to a certain time while we will be holding a black-flag week from March 9 to March 15 and I request all civil society members and students to participate in a number of protest rallies organised by different bars across the country during the week, Aitzaz said.
He added that the lawyers would continue their struggle till the restoration of judiciary and release of detained and persecuted people while they also wanted the winning political parties to fulfill their promises and the mandate given by the people of Pakistan.
Aitzaz Ahsan said that President Musharraf had violated Article 6 of the Constitution of Pakistan and the lawyers wanted him to be tried for that. He paid tributes to the late chairperson of Pakistan Peoples Party former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. He said that she always supported the restoration of judiciary.
He said that the public and lawyers had given the new Parliament enough time to come up to the expectations of the masses. They would resume a strong protest campaign if the parliamentarians broke their promises after coming into power, he said.
The participants included Justice Nasira Javed Iqbal, CCP member Hamid Zaman, Dr Yasmin Rashid, SAC activist Sufian Arshad, Campaign for Democracy and Rule of Law Pakistan (CDRLP) coordinator Advocate Abdullah Malik, wife of Aitzaz Ahsan, Bushra Aitzaz and others.
Aitzaz Ahsan, also a PPP leader, is scheduled to leave for Naudero today (Monday) afternoon. His requests during the detention for attending Ms Bhuttos funeral had been turned down by the Home Department.
Aitzazs spokesperson Aftab, talking to The News, said that Aitzaz would leave for Naudero where he would pay homage to Benazir Bhutto. He will also address a press conference before leaving for Naudero, Ms Bhuttos ancestral hometown.
Later, Aitzaz is expected to leave for Islamabad where he will meet PPP Co-Chairman Asif Zardari. Earlier, the leader of the lawyers movement for restoration of deposed judges was greeted by enthusiastic civil society members and political workers after his detention period ended. He later led a rally on The Mall.
Civil society members, lawyers, political parties activists and students joined in a protest rally against the suspension of judiciary and President Gen (Retd) Pervez Musharraf. The protestors marched from Aitzazs residence to The Mall and dispersed after burning Musharrafs effigy and pledging to continue their support for the restoration of judiciary.
However, the absence of senior members of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Women Action Committee and Peoples Lawyers Forum from the rally was felt. Participants of the rally included a large number of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf workers, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) workers, Concerned Citizens of Pakistan members, Campaign for Democracy and Rule of Law in Pakistan (CDRLP) people and many others.
Aitzaz warns incoming parliament after release