Justice Iftikhar to launch a series of addresses

The defence counsel of non-functional Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry here on Wednesday demanded day-to-day open trial of presidential reference, saying that he would embark on a series of addresses to the legal fraternity across the country.
Justice Iftikhar would address Rawalpindi Bar Council on March 28 and Peshawar Bar Council on March 30, counsel Munir A Malik and Tariq Mahmood told the protesting lawyers in front of the Supreme Court building.
Munir, who is President Supreme Court Bar Association, said that after the hearing of Presidential reference on April 3, Justice Iftikhar would go to every bar council across the country. Meanwhile, opposition parties and lawyers went ahead with their protests. Justice Iftikhar's lawyer insisted they had not sought postponement of the hearing. Rather, they wanted day-to-day open trial.
"On every hearing of the presidential reference, the lawyers would carry out countrywide protests," he said as lawyers chanted 'go Musharraf, go' slogans. Opposition parties and lawyers' community marched to the Supreme Court building amid heavy presence of law enforcement agencies. However, the protest remained peaceful, though earlier in the day brief clashes took place between Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal activists and police. Opposition parties were chanting slogans against General Musharraf, but People's Party Parliamentarians did not join the PML (N) and MMA, and held their protest separately.
Lawyers also maintained distance from opposition outfits in an effort not to allow political parties to 'hijack' their campaign. Thus, there were three protest rallies: one by lawyers, one by PPP, and the third by MMA with PML-N.
PPP's decision is seen by political analysts as vying for a new political alignment in the country. All gates of Supreme Court were closed.
Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Fazlur Rehman, PML-N leader Zafarul Haq, Liaqat Baloch, Imran Khan, Nisar Ali Khan, Naveed Qamar, Yousaf Raza Gilani and others were there for protest. "We will continue our protest," vowed Fazl, saying that the government had put off the hearing as it was scared of opposition's demonstrations. He also condemned the manhandling of Justice Iftikhar, and harassment of lawyers by law enforcement agencies.