Deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has said protection of fundamental rights and establishment of democratic system could be possible only by independence of judiciary.
He was addressing a joint session of the Lahore High Court Bar Association Lahore Bar and the Lahore Tax Bar Associations here in connection with his addresses to bar members who were in long march and were proceeding to Islamabad.
Iftikhar said due to the lawyers' movement harmony among the people of Pakistan has been prevailed and hence people of Punjab, Sindh, NWFP and Balochistan have been fastened into a chain and they all are demanding restoration of the judiciary. He said lawyers have raised the flag of rule of law, supremacy of constitution and independence of judiciary in the country.
He said the independence of the judiciary was ensured in the Constitution and without independence of judiciary it would seem that state is being run with only two state pillars. He said the constitution and the decisions of the Supreme Court declared that no clench could be put on the judiciary demands to call for an independence of judiciary in the country.
He said when the Constitution prevailed for protection of the rights institutions would adopt an impartial role and provide justice to the people. He said the court interprets the laws even if any law is made to curtail its jurisdiction. He said when judiciary is not working in accordance with the Constitution or under oath of any person than it neither could deliver goods nor that country could make progress properly. He said court did not claim of extra Constitutional jurisdiction as it works under certain limits fixed by the Constitution.
He said lawyers' movement has become a beacon for the people of Pakistan who were deprived of their fundamental rights. He however, said protection of rights in accordance with the Constitution is possible only with independent judiciary. He said redressal for the protection of the fundamental rights, envisage in the Constitution should be ensured. He said lawyers have brought new revolution in the country as their movement had paved new way for the independence of the judiciary and awareness among the masses has also ensured the development of the country.
He said country could develop after adopting three principles of Qaid-e-Azam 'Unity, Discipline and Faith.' He said lawyers should adopt these principles to come up to the expectation of the people and should not be disappointed them. He said lawyers should also adopt three principles of Qaid-e-Azam to show unity among their ranks for their movement for independence of judiciary and rule of law in the country.
He said lawyers are moving ahead their movement for the last fifteen months for rule of law, supremacy of Constitution and independence of judiciary confidently and their struggle is appreciable. He said their movement is successful due to discipline in their ranks and advised them to continue as they faced hardships for a national cause and also asked the people to support their noble cause.
He however, asked them to continue their struggle and not desperate at any stage as their goal is very near. He said lawyers demanded nothing for their personal interests and they did not damage or harmed any person or institution during their struggle.
People therefore, show their confidence in the lawyers and joined them, as lawyers showed them right way and sought nothing for in response. They fought for the rule of law, supremacy of the constitution and independence of judiciary. Now people also demanding rule of law, supremacy of constitution and independence of judiciary in the country.
Among others President Supreme Court Bar Association Aitzaz Ahsan, Ali Ahmed Khurd, Hamid Khan, Munir Malik, Rashid Rizvi, Mehmoodul Hassan, Musharat Jilali, President Lahore Bar Association Manzoor Qadir, President Lahore High Court Bar Association Anwar Kamal and deposed judges Khawaja Muhammad Sharif and Sarmad Jalal Usmani also addressed the bar members.
The speakers rejected the Constitutional package and termed it a delaying tactics of reinstatement of the judges. They were of the view that if coalition parties have not such strength in senate to get pass the constitutional package then why they are introducing the proposed Constitutional package. They said one of the coalition party is claiming that they had got votes under slogan of "Bread, Cloth and House" but they did not give any relief to the people in this Constitutional package.
They said political parties are deceiving the people of Pakistan in the name of Constitutional package and playing in the hands of President Pervez Musharraf. They said lawyers would not accept any Constitutional package and judges should be restore as Prime Minister had released the judges by an executive order.
They said long march's direction is toward the parliament house political parties and parliamentarian had promised to reinstate the judges. They said there is no need to fight with Musharraf now, as he has become so weak that parliament could oust him with one blow only. They said people of Pakistan had voted the present parliament for reinstatement of the judges and added parliament is under burden of the people confidence to restore the judiciary.
They said lawyers' struggle is not only for the independence of judiciary but also to contain the military men on the borders and to get rid of foreign agents. They said lawyers believe in the sovereignty of parliament and their object is not to destabilise democratic government but it took steps to strengthen the democratic institutions also.
They said their long march will reach before the parliament and added government should not place hurdles before its way and said lawyers will continue their struggle till the independence of the judiciary. They added that if parliament could not reinstate the judges than lawyers will continue their fight.
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