Haqeeqat.Org Face it…

Success of Long March is debatable, but nobody can doubt nobility of its purpose, justness of its cause and sincerity of its leadership. Indeed Barrister Aitezaz Ahsan should have coordinated and planned the program of arranging a sit in in Islamabad, for as long as it was necessary. The excuse presented by him that the Advocates did not have the funds to arrange a sit in appears a lame one. He should have arranged the requisite funds and if the Advocates, having been deprived of earning their livelihood for months, were unable to provide, public help could have been solicited or the political parties like Tehrike Insaf, Jamaate Islami and APDM could be sought. But after taking the trouble of leading members of civil society, the advocates and political workers from Multan to Islamabad, it is not a good idea to disperse unceremoniously

I have always expressed serious reservations about Pakistani leadership. Quaide Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had said, that their were certain bad coins in his pocket. Mr . Itezaz Ahsan, who got the leadership of Lawyers by sheer chance, did not deserve it by any criterion. He has been accused of passing on the list of Sikh freedom fighters, when he was home minister in BB’s first government, to Indian government, causing their arrest and punishment. BB did it at the behest of America, without least bothering about the future of Sikh freedom fighters.

Therefore, I have repeatedly written:

Our problems are Mountain like, but our leaders are pygmies.

Mian Nawaz Sharif had also lead an attack on the Supreme court and Mr. Zardari had been reported to ask Justice Sajjad Ali Shah to present his resignation before his out of turn appointment to the position of Chief Justice of Pakistan. When he refused, he delayed his appointment of Chief Justice for two years. MNS tried to storm the supreme court, when his brother was Chief Minister of Panjab and he himself was Prime Minister of Pakistan. Such dictator minded leaders do not suit a county which was liberated purely by lawful means by a leadership dedicated to democracy and rule of the law.

Both MNS and BB did not allow Justice Falak Sher, an honest and bold Judge of the Panjab Hight Court to become Chief Justice and he was twice bypassed by accommodating judges. He had finally to be transferred to Supreme Court. But instead of appointing him Chief Justice, being the senior most Judge of Supreme court, after removing CJ Iftikhar Chaudhry Musharraf chose Justice Dogar, a Judge from Sind who is known to have soft corner for PPP. Now Mr.Zardari wants him to continue so that he can have advantage of an amenable Chief Justice.

Therefore, restoration of CJ Chaudhry is necessary to close the chapter of executive’s interference in appointment of Judges of Supreme Court and High Court. The legal fraternity has suffered a lot during their movement to restore the 60 Judges of Supreme Court and Hight court. They have lost the only source of income and were beaten up, attacked and even killed by ruthless law enforcement agencies. Those thankless souls completely forgot that Pakistan came into existence due to efforts of an advocate.

Musharraf has become extremely unpopular. My brother has just returned from Peshawar and he told me that Air force and army officers cannot move about in the city without armed guards accompanying and protecting them. Rumor has it that slogans against Musharraf are written even on the walls of the conveniences of the GHQ. But shameless as ever, he is refusing to bow to the pressure of rank and file of his own party ie the army.

Pakistan’s lawyers, its sincere political parties, activists of civil society and public at large have proved their unflinching support to the cause of Judiciary and no matter how hard the conspirators try they will Insha Allah not be able to stand against the tide of public opinion, for long.

Muhammad Javed Iqbal
http://mjavediqbal.wordpress.com