The lawyers of southern Punjab have blasted government for its plan to file a new reference against Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, vowing that black coats would defy any such attempt that, according to them, would be another blunder mistake.
Mirza Aziz Akbar Baig, Vice President of Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) has said that present regime had inducted incompetent, bad tempered and furious law minister who had issued a statement saying government had prepared a new reference against CJP that would be filed at an appropriate time as CJP had violated code of conduct.
Criticising government's decision, vice president of PBC said if the government filed a new reference it would face huge criticism from the lawyers and other sections of society as for the present reference the government has no material against the CJP.
He said CJP had not violated code of conduct during his countrywide visits and addresses to different bar associations as the same was evident from the fact that he never made a political statement, nor workers of any political party were allowed to enter bar premises on the day of his address.
However, he added that every constitutional issue could not be separated from the politics because the politics meant "issue concerning state affairs." He pointed out that on one hand General Pervez Musharraf is openly attending the public meetings of ruling party but no one is there to stop him while on the other hand his team is alleging CJP of politicising the issue.
He made it clear that lawyers' community would adopt a stern line of action if another attempt was made to tarnish the image of top judge of the country. Habib-ullah Shakir President of High Court Bar Association said it would further make lawyers fraternity furious as well as the common people.
"It seems that no better sense is prevailing among the government ranks and its advisers are making the government's ship sink by their own hands. He said the government had not released any details of the reference but whatever the charges would be, CJP was ready to face it, adding, he had done nothing wrong.
The secretary MHCBA Rana Naveed Akhtar said the military government had been committing blunders after blunders as it had the tendency of not taking advice from anyone.
The filing of new reference would create a complete chaos in the country as the situation is already out of its control. The millions of Pakistani were standing behind the CJP for his courageous 'no' to a man in uniform and any attempt to further humiliate would only ignite the fire that would engulf the entire system.
President of District Bar Multan Muhammad Akram Bhatti said government had decided that it would not retreat on CJP's issue rather to act upon the advice of its advisers.
He warned that people and lawyers would foil any such attempt. He said the real reason for which CJP had been singled out was his past performance, which created misgivings in official circles about his likely role in the coming legal battles ahead of national elections, due later this year.
He said General Musharraf wanted CJP to go out of the way because he was thought to be an obstacle to the President's plans to remain army chief while simultaneously occupying the Presidency.