'May 12 deadline may not be honoured'

10 May, 2008

Deposed judge of the Lahore High Court, Khawaja Mohammad Sharif has said he fears that the ruling coalition may not again honour its word on the restoration of judges. He was talking to a team of lawyers, which called on him, here on Friday.
The team led by Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan Vice President Ghulam Nabi Bhatti and Punjab Bar Council Executive Committee Chairman Syed Intikhab Hussain Shah told him about their efforts for collecting signatures of lawyers across the country in favour of restoring the deposed judges.
Justice Sharif said some people were playing a dirty game with the cause of judges for their own vested interests. He added Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had twice stated that it was for the cause of judges and independence of media that the people voted them to power.
"How can the parties deviate from their commitment made to the people?" Justice Sharif asked. If the judges were not restored, there would be a revolution and he would be a part of it, he added.
He said nobody could set aside the decision of the seven judges on November 3, under which the imposition of the state of emergency, which was binding on every institution and person. On a question regarding working with PCO judges, he said it was subject to the decision of Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and his fellow deposed judges.
SCBA vice president Ghulam Nabi Bhatti at this occasion said the political parties were bound to fulfil the promise they made to the people before going to the February 18 elections. Mohammad Azhar Siddique advocate said both the political parties had a moral and legal duty to fulfil the promise they made in the Charter of Democracy and Murree Declaration.

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