Outpouring of support for independent judiciary

The people have spoken. In Pakistan, An attempt to intimidate the Chief Justice and force him to resign has backfired. In an unprecedented outpouring of support, the people, lawyers, civil service, and unions, rallied to support the judge. Aitzaz Ahsan, lead counsel for Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, says that

“The people have given their verdict against the military rule and in support of independence of judiciary, sovereignty of the Constitution and rule of law.”

The article continues…. “[President] Musharraf’s decision of March 9 to remove Justice Iftikhar has backfired. It has put the country on an uncertain course and posed the first most serious threat to his rule.

“The chief justice defied intimidation and inducements during five excruciating hours in the Army House on March 9 when Musharraf handed him over the chargesheet and asked him to resign. Later for next four days, he was kept in confinement, severed from outside world in an abortive bid to break his will. On March 13, he came out of his home to face presidential reference in the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) and insisted to walk down the 3km distance instead of accepting police car [transport].

“The manner of the removal of the highest judicial official in the country and the treatment meted out to him outraged the entire nation. Lawyers, political parties and civil society activists were up in arms and decided to boycott court, stage rallies across the country and outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad at every hearing date.”