'March 9' a concept of an independent judiciary: SCBA to hold convention today

The legal fraternity will observe March 9-when former military dictator Pervez Musharraf sacked Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry in 2007- as a day to renew its pledge for upholding rule of law. In this connection, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) would hold a convention at Supreme Court, here today (Tuesday), said Qazi Muhammad Anwer president SCBA.
'March 9 is the day which gave this nation a new direction and the concept of an independent judiciary. It is the day we waged an open war against the evil designs of a dictator', said Qazi Anwer. It reminds us of our struggle for the supremacy of constitution and rule of law, thus we will get together and revitalise the promise that we still have to go a long way, he added.
When asked the day of CJP's sacking had been observed by the legal fraternity during previous years as a 'black day', Qazi Anwer said that he never had termed it 'black day' rather had always termed March 9 as 'bright day' due to the significant change it brought for the masses.
To a question about any split in the ranks of legal fraternity over the observance of day and holding of convention, Qazi Muhammad Anwer brushed aside such a possibility and said to have invited all leaders of the lawyers' movement to attend the convention. I have invited Aitzaz Ahsan, Ali Ahmed Kurd, Munir A. Malik, former Justice Tariq Mehmood and all others lawyers to come and attend the convention, however, it is up to them whether they turn up or not, he added.
The SCBA president also negated any rift among the lawyers over the recommendations of Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms (PCCR) over appointment of judges, but at the same time said 'everyone has a right to have his/her own opinion'. When asked whether he had sought any permission from the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), the mother body of legal fraternity, Qazi Muhammad Anwer said we have no need to seek permission from any authority.
Despite, negation by the SCBA president difference among the lawyers are quite visible. Earlier, some leading leaders of the movement for reinstatement of sacked judges had kept themselves at bay over the announcement of National Co-ordination Committee (NCC) of the fraternity of holding protest demonstration against government's failure to implement SC verdict on National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).
Afterwards, similar was the response over the issue of PCCR's recommendations for appointment of judges wherein the SCBA had termed it as 'fresh attack on the independence of judiciary'. The SCBA will hold convention today (Tuesday) not taking into account clash of opinion.