Aitzaz to seek CJP resignation
By Aziz Narejo, TX, USA
21 08 2008
Zardari using Aitzaz to seek Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Choudhry's resignation?
Reports from Pakistan say Asif Zardari is using the services of his party leader Aitzaz Ahsan who also doubles as the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association to seek resignation of the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr. Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Choudhry. The CJP had earlier refused to resign but Aitzaz is to meet him tomorrow (Thursday)with a message from his leader.
Aitzaz Ahsan held a meeting today with Asif Zardari who is pushing for the minus one formula meaning restoration of the judges minus the Chief Justice of Pakistan. If that happens, it would be a severe blow to the judiciary and will not resolve the issue as a majority of citizens and lawyers would not accept it.
The civil society members, lawyers, human rights and political activists should take notice of these moves and should try to foil them as they are against the independence of judiciary.
No cause of joy or jubilation until judiciary restored:
We have seen many dictators and despots come and go in Pakistan. People have distributed sweets each time at the departure of a dictator or a despot but unfortunately each successive ruler has proved to be worse than his predecessor and the people have seen no change for better in their lives. The ordinary men, women and minorities have continued to suffer while smaller provinces have felt alienated with no stake in the country and its decision making.
It is an alarming situation. The people at large saw a ray of hope when Chief Justice of Pakistan Mr. Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Choudhry stood to the military dictator and as a result a genuine people's movement took roots that eventually defeated the general and his collaborators in the February 18, 2008 elections.
People were expecting that the judiciary would be immediately restored following the elections, then at the time of the formation of the civilian government and later when dictator resigned as the politicians had made pledges and signed agreements to the effect. It is disappointing that the head of a party is again trying to go back on his word.
It is outrageous and will surely increase cynicism among the people who already have developed apathy towards politics and politicians. That doesn't augur well for the country. If the situation is to be saved, an independent judiciary will have to be ensured with reinstatement of pre-November 3, 2008 judiciary without any curtailment of its powers.
The politicians must understand that a free judiciary and strong media are guarantees for the survival of the democratic system. Only they and a vigilant civil society can close doors on any future adventurers. Otherwise we all know too well what is going to happen in a time not too distant from today.
UN Award for Aitzaz
By Gangly Khan
Aizaz is lucky to receive UN and other awards. But keeping in view his double standard he does not deserve it.
He is the person who surrendered at Islamabad by calling of long march for which lawyers and civil society from all over the country braved tremendous hazards and difficulties of long journeys in steaming hot weather.
Aitzaz joined lawyers' movement as a driver of Ch Iftikhar and then pledged to drive judicial bus that was never run. He held press conferences frequently and because of this he came to limelight. On the basis of his projection in these press conference Foreign Policy journal of US declared him as intellectual.
Basically he is member and jiala of PPP and he holds his party on priority. His loyalties to lawyers' movement are doubtful or secondary.
As regards detention, about five thousands lawyers suffered detention, police torture and humiliation. None of the lawyers' leaders enquired of these sufferers nor did they appreciate them in writing.
Because of poor leadership, young lawyers have lost enthusiasm and tempo of the movement is dying down. The persons that have recommended him for this great award are the people who are under his influence and obligation.
He claims that he pleaded and won the reference case against chief justice. In this respect I shall say that this case was won because of the pressure and support of lawyers' movement. He fought case of Zardari and Benazir when she was ousted by Farooq Laghari. That time support and pressure of public in support of Benazir was absent. Therefore his intelligence did not work and he lost the case miserably.
Ask lawyers of lower courts about the standard of Aitzaz as a leader and they will not recommend him for such a prestigious award.
Where are human rights in Pakistan for the poor? There is no one to defend these basic rights. A special group of land lords, generals, and feudal waderas, pirs, and Gadi nashins are ruling the country. All wealth and national resources are in their hands. They come to power in turn and exploit the poor to maximum in the name of either democracy or Islam. But their real motives are to promote their own interests.
Aitzaz is a feudal land lord. He is member of special class of rulers. He may be sympathetic to people but he is not serious to change the feudal political culture of the country. Recently it is learnt that on behalf of Zardari he met CJ Iftikhar to ask him for resignation.
He has also called an emergency meeting of lawyers' representatives tomorrow i.e. on 23 Aug 2008to take them in confidence on what he was told by his boss Zardari.
Had some lawyers at the bottom been awarded such prestigious awards it would have been a milestone in history of lawyers struggle for promoting democratic values and restoring independence of judiciary
Well done awarder of the award and the people who recommended the same.
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