Lawyers long march
The situation has not reached an extent where a Pakistan National Alliance (PNA)-like movement when the entire country was shut down in the year 1977 could be launched, Karachi Bar Association (KBA) Secretary-General Naeem Qureshi said.
He said responding to a question about why neither a political party nor the lawyers’ movement could make people come out on the street, while addressing a press conference at the KBA committee room. The press conference was being held in connection with the lawyers’ long march, which is scheduled for March 12, when lawyers of their respective bars from across the country would march towards Islamabad to stage a sit-in on March 16 for the independence of the judiciary and reinstatement of superior judiciary including the deposed chief justice of Pakistan (CJP), Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry.
Qureshi demanded that the government of Pakistan, especially President Asif Ali Zardari, constitute an impartial investigation into the murder of Benazir Bhutto, because the President knows the name of those who killed her. He also reminded the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leadership that they had participated in the lawyers’ movement when they were out of power. The February 2008 general elections have “alienated the PPP from the cause of judiciary and they have deviated from their commitments,” he alleged, adding that threats and harassment would not weaken the lawyers’ courage.
When asked if any of the political parties were taking part in the long march had donated to the lawyers’ movement, Qureshi replied that they had not actively sought donations. Financial help offered voluntarily, however, would be welcomed.
The KBA has formed five committees, each comprising 40 members, to take over arrangement of all activities if the frontline leadership of the movement is arrested or assassinated, the KBA secretary-general said. He informed the assembled journalists that six buses had been hired to form a caravan and they would leave from the City Courts on the morning of March 12. They will also pass through the Sindh High Court, where other lawyers would join the convoy.
From there, lawyers would move towards the Malir Bar and the National Highway. The journey will see them pass through the different cities of Sindh and it will culminate at Constitution Avenue, Islamabad, where a sit-in has been planned. The sit-in is expected to continue till the restoration of the deposed CJP.
Qureshi denied suggestions and claims that the lawyers’ movement was taking dictation from a political party. He also informed the gathering that a meeting of political and religious parties except the ruling party was held on Monday to finalise the programme. He expressed gratitude to all those who participated in the meeting including PML-N, JI, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and Sunni Tehreek (ST) for their support and participation in the long march.
Ref The News
