Main opposition parties are holding an emergency meeting here on Monday to chalk out a strategy on the presidential reference filed against the Supreme Court Chief Justice, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.
Convened by Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) President Qazi Hussain Ahmed, the meeting would be attended by the leaders of Peoples Party Parliamentarians, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), Awami National Party and Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf. Members of the bar councils are also invited.
The opposition leaders would be together for the first time since Justice Iftikhar was made 'non-functional' over the charges of misconduct and misuse of authority on March 9. They are meeting a day before as on Tuesday Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) would take up the controversial reference filed under Article 209 of the Constitution.
A massive public rally would be carried out the same day in the capital to express solidarity with Justice Iftikhar if all parties agreed to such a move, MMA leader Qazi Hussain Ahmed disclosed. Members of the legal fraternity had already announced that they would besiege the SJC the day it proceeds on the issue.
However, Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao warned that any such move would be dealt with iron hands and no one would be allowed to create any hurdle for SJC. Qazi said it was 'high time' for the opposition parties to sit together and come up with a joint strategy.
Calling the President's move as 'unconstitutional,' he accused General Musharraf of throwing the country into 'judicial crises.' Monday's meeting would also discuss the idea of holding an informal session of all opposition parties before going to proposed multi-party conference in London on the controversy. The idea was mooted by PML-N.
Insiders say the opposition leaders would urge Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry not to resign under pressure and face the trial before the SJC. Speculations are in the air that the suspended Chief Justice would resign before SJC begins hearing reference against him.
However, Air Marshal Asghar Khan (Retd) revealed that Justice Iftikhar told him that he would not tender resignation on the government pressure. Asghar Khan met Justice Iftikhar at his residence on Sunday.