Flag hoisting ceremony at the residence of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was held here on Sunday where the organisers barred the everybody from raising political slogans and waving party flags.
The CJ himself did not attend the ceremony, which was marked by some harsh words of PPP leaders Safdar Abbasi and wife Naheed Khan, along with Kausar Gilani, a PPP turncoat, presently representing PML (Q).
Dr Israr Shah, who lost his legs as a result of bombing in 2007 lawyers rally, on behalf of political parties, Advocate Imdad Awans son Shaharyar Awan on behalf of the lawyers community, and Tahira Abdullah on behalf of civil society raised the flags of Pakistan and the Supreme Court.
Imdad Awan had died of heart attack while driving the car of Iftikhar Chaudhry during a rally in Karachi. Heavy contingents of police guarded all streets leading to the CJ House. Foolproof security arrangements were put in place on the occasion, and all people were thoroughly checked by police before they were allowed to go to the Chief Justice residence.
A former Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president, Aitzaz Ahsan, said that it would be the last of the series of restoration of judiciary functions while Chief Justices of Pakistan would not participate in this function.
He thanked Nawaz Sharif, Qazi Hussain Ahmad, Imran Khan, media and civil society for their unflinching support to the lawyers movement for restoration of judiciary. He said that PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif could not attend the ceremony due to his disqualification case in the Supreme Court.
A large number of people including lawyers, civil society activists, relatives of missing persons, activists of PML-N and PTI had gathered outside CJs residence--some dancing, some beating drums in jubilation. Some die-hard PPP workers chanted slogans in favour of Benazir, terming the reinstatement as her desire.
Naheed Khan talking to Business Recorder said that PPP stalwarts had fulfilled the promise of BB to hoist the flag at the residence of Chief Justice as she had desired and promised to hoist national flag at CJs residence.
The triumphant return of Iftikhar Chaudhry as chief justice of Pakistan signalled the dawn of an independent judiciary and a rallying point for opposition against authoritarian rule.
He is the only chief justice in the history of Pakistan to have faced suspension and sacking but managed to stage a dramatic comeback. Though it was then President Pervez Musharraf who appointed him as Chief Justice of Pakistan on May 7, 2005, Chaudhry had an almost running battle with the general ever since.
Chaudhry, born on December 12, 1948 in Quetta, is the 22nd Chief Justice of Pakistan. He is a Bachelor in Arts and Bachelor in Law from Jamshoro, Sindh and has also been Advocate in Balochistan High Court and Supreme Court. He has served as the Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court and was elevated to the Supreme Court in February 2000.
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