APL welcomes SC decision to restore Chief Justice of Pakistan and congratulate the whole nation for their patience and bravery
Association of Pakistani Lawyers a team of Pakistani origin lawyers, Solicitors, Barristers, Judges in UK jointly welcome the decision of full court of 20 July 2007
Quashing the reference and restoring the chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.
APL congratulates further the Acting CJ Mr. Justice Das’s decision of 9 May 2007 forming a full bench and all the judges of the 13 member full court comprises of Mr. Justice Khalil Ramdey, Mr. Justice Muhammad Nawaz Abbasi, Mr. Justice Faqir Muhammad Khokar, Mr. Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Mr. Justice M Javed Butter, Mr. Justice Tasudduq Hussain Jilani, Mr. Justice Syed Ashhad, Mr. Justice Nasirul Mulk, Mr. Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmad, Mr. Justice Chaudhry Ijaz Ahmad, Mr. Justice Syed Jamshed Ali, Mr. Justice Hamid Ali Mirza, and Mr Justice Ghulam Rabbani for hearing patiently constitutional petition of Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and all other petitions and declaring a judgement meeting the norms of justice.
British Pakistani lawyers wrote to General Pervez Musharraf on 12 March 2007 to consider withdrawing this reference as procedure adopted give rise to serious questions of procedural impropriety and the way CJ was handled it will create suspicions whether Chief Justice can ever have a fair hearing if he is treated as guilty before even having a adjudication hearing for example restraints to his access to SC, virtual house arrest, his privileges withdrawn, and keeping him incommunicado. No action was taken. Furthermore, APL also wrote to Acting Chief Justice(s) who then was Mr. justice Javed Iqbal on 15 March 2007 and further to current Acting CJ Mr. Justice Rana Bhagwan Das on 24 March 2007 requesting them to convene a larger bench ideally a full court reference to determine the true interpretation of Article 209, and 180. As the requested larger bench was not constituted therefore British Lawyers on 5th of April moved the petition under ref 15/2007 to Supreme Court asking the SC to determine whether the term ‘non functional Chief Justice of Pakistan’ is Constitutional and requested true interpretation of the relevant article(s). There were several other petitions too and thus this full hearing which ended on 20 July 2007.
APL congratulate the masses for their bravery and patience in this turmoil and steadfastness of lawyers during this uncertainty and appreciate in highest terms despite sanction of the brave role of media to keep the public aware of all the developments and facilitate intellectual discussions and debate and live coverage of Chief’s addresses to respective Bar(s).
APL further canvass that lawyers work does not end here, they must be ready to form a joint action convention of all elected representatives and bodies to feed in their joint declaration(s) or demands to political parties to secure their support on issues like full judicial independence, financial autonomy to Superior Court, Separation of administration from Judiciary, appointment of judges commission, breakage of nexus of judiciary and judges completely, viable accountability process of judges and generals (no sacred cow concept), non political bar & bench, promotion of ethical and professional lawyers and law studies syllabus in line with modern technology, cheap justice at door step of common man and quick relief process, security of judges and above all continuation of such judgements especially in matters of future course of action i.e military coup de tats , PCO’s, Presidential referendums, uniformed president, etc
APL desires that all lawyers, civil society and media’s contribution must continue as Chief Justice restoration is one aspect of the long struggle where destination is still away and we need to jointly work for a free democratic, economically strong country to bring Pakistan out of this chain of crisis, and our voice goes with common man’s voice goes and we hope it reaches to those rulers who make decision(s) to listen to it and act accordingly.
Amjad Malik, MA, LLM
Solicitor-Advocate of the Supreme Court of England and Wales
Life Member SCBA (Pakistan)
Chair Association of Pakistani Lawyers (UK)
00 44 1706 346 011 &
Email at: APLrochdale@aol.com
20 July 2007
- Posted by valiantpk on 20/07/2007.
- valiantpk's site
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