Judiciary Restoration - last chance for President Zardari
By Nadia Khan
Since taking the President office by Asif Zardari, PPP and its stalwarts have taken a U-turn over independent judiciary, a slogan coined by its late co chair person Benazir Bhutto after signing Charter of Democracy with Mian Nawaz Sharif. She has further strengthen this slogan by saying that "Ifthikhar Chaudhry is our Chief Justice" standing outside his home, where CJ was confined after the actions of 3rd Nov 2007 when Pervaiz Musharraf has sacked the constitutionally sworn-in Supreme Court to overcome his personal problem of running the presidential election under Army chiefs' uniform. He was "“illegally- successful and won presidential elections but within a short span of 7 months, circumstances have forced him to resign failing to complete his 5 years term which had won with "illegal" efforts!!!
There are many reasons citied by PPP & its leadership against deposed Chief Justice Ifthikhar Chaudhry such as:
- He became politicized by attending lawyers conventions or functions
- He is the one who validated Pervaiz Musharraf's initial took over in 1999 & 2001
- He is the one who took oath as a PCO judge by Pervaiz Musharraf
- How it is possible to have two chief justices, and there is no way in our constitution to move out a sitting Chief Justice; Hameed Dogar?
- Due to PML (N) politics, deposed Chief Justice could form a "Justice Party"
- What's a big deal "“ if Farah Dogar father had favoured her then Ifthikhar Chaudhry had done same for his son Dr Arsalan!
In other words, PPP current view is that, "Chief Justice Ifthikhar Chaudhry should have accepted Pervaiz Musharraf's order and should have tendered his resignation according to the wishes of Musharraf." Or in present day scenario, "if present Army Chief Ashfaq Kiyani sacks Hammed Dogar by imposing emergency "“ say for a day only- and depute a new Chief Justice, it would be acceptable for PPP leadership. Isn't it??"
Regarding corruption charges raised by PPP stalwarts and their like minded anchors such as Mr Lucman in his "˜Lucman Show' on TVONE network, now using abusive language against deposed CJ Ifthikhar Chaudhry as he had made all illegal means and ways to depute his son in govt service and so on. For them, it is only said that "when full bench under Justice Khalil Ramday upheld the charges against Ifthikhar Chaudhry & restored him in Mar 2007, the full bench also fined Musharraf govt Rs.100,000/- for levelling baseless charges against him citied under the govt-provided dossier."
In spite of disregarding his own signed accords thrice, as Long March - 16th March 2009 is coming closer, it looks like that, President Zardari has his last chance to listen to his Premier Gilani, and restore the 2nd November 2007 judiciary under Chief Justice Ifthikhar Chaudhry and avoid listening to legal-catastrophe of Farooq Naiek. On 21st March 2009 when de facto Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar retires there will not be "two chief justices" issue and President Zardari could restore deposed CJ Ifthikhar Chaudhry.