By Aziz Narejo
The glorious lawyers' movement and their second "Long March" joined by political parties and civil society activists has finally achieved its objective as illegally and unconstitutionally deposed judges have been reinstated to their pre-November 3, 2007 position. Many people had earlier dismissed the lawyers' movement and had termed it a lost cause. Some others had suggested a "middle road". The people marching from Lahore last Sunday proved them wrong and forced the government to reverse the military dictator's draconian action against the judiciary. One must congratulate the lawyers, civil society activists and political parties that steadfastly supported the epic movement for the restoration of judiciary to pre-November 3, 2007 position.
Now as the Chief Justice is about to resume his work, it is reported in the press that Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan has taken it upon himself to hold a flag hoisting ceremony at the Chief Justic's house. Talking to media outside the CJ's house he said that political parties have been invited to participate in the ceremony while Naheed Khan, Safdar Abbasi and Shaharyar Awan (son of late lawyer leader Imdad Awan) are to hoist the flag.
It must be said that when military dictator attacked the office of the highest adjudicator in the country, it was the duty of all the citizens to stand up against the illegal and unconstitutional action of the usurper general. It must also be admitted that Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan and other leaders of the lawyers’ movement have played a heroic role in the struggle but now they must realize that their role is over. They have done their duty. The Chief Justice is back. Now they must go back to their normal working too.
It must also be mentioned here that after his reinstatement by the Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Ramday in July 2007, Justice Iftikhar Choudhry had declined to hear any cases against military dictator Musharraf. He had also declined to hear cases pleaded by lawyers' movement leaders like Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan. The Supreme Court under him had also decided not to call on government leaders and hold political appointments like acting governors, etc.
The reinstated judges including CJ must be commended for not participating in Zardari's farewell dinner for Dogar. It is a praiseworthy practice for the superior judiciary to stay away from higher official's meetings and socialization as was the case in the initial days. The CJ must extend such practice to all political figures inside or outside the government.
I hope, if these lines reach the CJ, he would stop the flag hoisting ceremony to be a political function.
P.S. This doesn't mean that the civil society should stop keeping an eye on the working of the judiciary or other branches of the government. But that is a separate issue.
