Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry Restored as Chief Justice of Pakistan, Crisis Diffused

A Pakistan News, March 16, 2009

ISLAMABAD:

Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry has congratulated the nation and thanked the lawyers, civil society and general public for long struggle for restoration of judiciary.

He was addressing to large number of the lawyers, civil society members and political activists who had arrived at his residence to congratulate him on reinstatement.

Justice Chaudhry waved hand to the crowd and thanked the people.

A Pakistan News, March 16, 2009

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has announced to restore all the deposed judges including Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, who he said will take the charge of his office on March 21.

The PM in his televised-address to the nation early morning Monday said that all the deposed judges are being reinstated with immediate effect and the notification in this connection is rightly being issued.

“We have decided that the time has come to fulfill our promises. I am announcing here to restore all the deposed judges… Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry will take the office of Chief Justice of Pakistan on March 21 when the sitting CJ Abdul Hameed Dogar will retire,” the PM said.

PM Gilani said that he has taken the decision in consultation with President Zardari and all other ruling coalition parties. He said that the government would file review petition in Supreme Court against its earlier verdict of declaring Sharif brothers ineligible.

He invited former premier Mian Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Mian Shahbaz Sharif to cooperate with all the political forces in implementing the Charter of Democracy (CoD) with letter and spirit.

The PM ordered all the provincial governments to immediately lift article 144 imposed to prevent protesters from holding rallies and ordered to release all the political activists and lawyers detained by the forces in connection to Long March.

PM in his address recalled his association with lawyers’ movement and said that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and lawyers have a long-lasting relationship. He said that the two have cooperated on various issues. He also praised lawyers, civil society and political activists for their services in the movement for independent judiciary in the country.

PM Gilani said that his party has also offered many sacrifices in this movement, adding that PPP slain chairperson Benazir Bhutto and President Asif Ali Zardari had also promised the nation to reinstate the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, sacked on November 3, 2007 along with 60 other judges of superior courts by the then military rule General (retd) Pervez Musharraf.

The PM said that his government wanted to fulfill this promise since on first day it came in power it but maintained that it could not be done as the sitting Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar was already holding the office.

Earlier, the PM held an hours-long meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari at the President House prior to his address to the nation. Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani also attended the meeting, it was reported.

Opposition leaders and lawyers had vowed to sit-in at the parliament later Monday until Justice Chaudhry, known for his independence and willingness to challenge authority, was reinstated. The capital has been barricaded and scores of extra police brought in amid fears of violence.

2009-03-16 10:48:36

    ISLAMABAD, March 16 (Xinhua) --

Former Pakistani Prime Minister and opposition party chief Nawaz Sharif on Monday called off the "long march" demonstration after the government announced the restoration of deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

    Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani announced restoration of deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry earlier Monday in a televised address to the nation.

    "My countrymen, in accordance with my commitment and the commitment made by the President of Pakistan, I declare reinstatement of Mr Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and all other deposed judges to their positions," the prime minister said.

    "On March 21, on the retirement of the incumbent Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, Mr Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry will assume the office of the Chief Justice," he said.

    Gilani said that a notification was being issued shortly.

    The decision came after a high-level meeting in the President House Sunday night and early Monday.

    A large number of political activists and lawyers rushed to the residence of the former chief justice to celebrate his restoration.

    The government's decision came the same day when Sharif was due to lead the "long march" procession towards Islamabad to press for the government to restore the deposed chief justice.

    Sharif, chief of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), spearheaded the procession from eastern city of Lahore to Islamabad after defying a detention order by the local administration.

    The lawyers and political activists kicked off their "long march" on March 12.

    The government imposed restrictions over the demonstrations, arresting many lawyers and activists to stop them from entering Islamabad.

    Gilani has demanded in his speech the immediate release of all political activists and lawyers who have been arrested over the past few days. He also announced end to a ban on political activities.

    Some 60 Supreme Court and High Courts judges were sacked in November 2007 when then-President Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency. Some of them took fresh oath of office while others including sacked Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry are yet to be restored. 

 2009-03-16 06:54:17  

·Pakistani gov't has agreed to restore the deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry soon. ·Pakistani PM is expected to announce restoration of the deposed chief justice through an executive order. ·The decision came the same day when "long march" led by Sharif is due to arrive in Islamabad for sit-in.

    ISLAMABAD, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani announced restoration of all deposed judges including Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry Monday morning in a bid to end political turmoil in the country.

    "My countrymen, in accordance with my commitment and the commitment made by the President of Pakistan, I declare reinstatement of Mr. Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and all other deposed judges on their positions," the prime minister said in a televised address.

    "On March 21, on the retirement of the incumbent Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, Mr. Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry will assume the office of the Chief Justice," he said.

    Gilani said that a notification is being issued shortly.

    The decision came after a high-level meeting in the President House Sunday night and early Monday.

    A large number of political activists and lawyers rushed to the residence of the former chief justice to celebrate his restoration.

    The government's decision came the same day when former prime minister and opposition party chief Nawaz Sharif is due to lead the "long march" procession towards Islamabad to press for the government to restore the deposed chief justice.

    Sharif, chief of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), spearheaded the procession from eastern city of Lahore to Islamabad after defying a detention order by the local administration.

    The lawyers and political activists kicked off their "long march" on March 12.

    The government has imposed restrictions over the demonstrations, arresting many lawyers and activists to stop them from entering Islamabad.

    Gilani has demanded in his speech the immediate release of all political activists and lawyers who have been arrested over the past few days. He also announced end to a ban on political activities.

    Some 60 Supreme Court and High Courts judges were sacked in November 2007 when then-President Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency. Some of them took fresh oath of office while others including sacked Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry are yet to be restored.

2009-03-15 11:04:52  

    ISLAMABAD, March 15 (Xinhua) --

The government of Pakistan has restricted the movement of former Prime Minister and chief of a major opposition party Nawaz Sharif on Sunday, the private TV channel DAWN NEWS reported.

    The government restricted Sharif's movement for three days, said the report. It is a move with an apparent aim to foil the lawyers' "long march", which Sharif announced on Saturday evening to lead.

    Sharif, also chief of the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), told supporters on Saturday evening that he would lead the "long march" on Sunday morning. He also said he could get arrested or put under house arrest.

    The PML-N workers and supporters clashed with police outside Sharif's residence and scores of them were detained, according to the DAWN NEWS.

    Meanwhile, Sharif's brother Shahbaz Sharif, who is also the top leader of PML-N and former chief minister of Punjab province, has managed to reach Rawalpindi, a garrison city near the capital.

    He was stopped near Kohnoor Mills in Rawalpindi, the DAWN NEWS quoted police sources as saying.

    The lawyers' "Long March" kicked off on March 12 and the crackdown on participants is still continuing as hundreds of political activists are detained.

    Local TV channel reports said that some prominent political leaders were stopped from boarding flights heading for the capital Islamabad.

    Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday termed the "Long March" as dangerous while talking to the top leaders of the ruling People's Party.

    However, Sharif on Saturday evening said the "Long March" would bring prosperity to the country. He also said that Pakistan needed a change and the change would certainly come.

    The lawyers' movement is aimed at securing the restoration of all the judges who were sacked in November 2007 when then-President Pervez Musharraf imposed a state of emergency.

    Sharif insisted that all the judges including deposed former Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry should be restored.

    Zardari has said he is ready to accept all the demands put forward by the PML-N except for the reinstatement of Chaudhry, local newspaper Daily Times reported on Sunday.

    Musharraf promulgated the "National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO)" when he declared a state of emergency in 2007. According to the NRO, the cases which the slain PPP leader Benazir Bhutto and Zardari were facing were removed.

    Analysts said that Chaudhry, once reinstated, might challenge the legitimacy of the NRO promulgated by Musharraf and it would put Zardari's fate at risk.

    Sharif has vowed to take part in the "Long March" and the proposed sit-in in Islamabad at all costs.

    The United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Saturday phoned both Zardari and Sharif to defuse the tension in the country. The Daily Times quoted sources as saying that Hillary tried to persuade Sharif to show flexibility in reconciling differences with Zardari so that issues could be settled amicably.    

    In a conversation with Zardari on the phone, Hillary assured that the United States would help the Pakistani government in stabilizing the country.