ISLAMABAD, 12 March 2007 — Pakistani lawyers are to boycott courts in a protest over the effective suspension of the country’s top judge pending an inquiry into what state media said were accusations of misconduct and misuse of authority.
Police yesterday sealed off Chaudhry’s residence in the capital, Islamabad, and said no one was allowed in to see him.
Qazi Anwar, chairman of the executive committee of the Pakistan Bar Association, said Chaudhry was under house arrest and lawyers across the country would boycott courts today and tomorrow as a protest against this treatment.
“We’re protesting because the chief justice of this country is under house arrest, he is detained,” Anwar told Reuters yesterday.
“This is insult to the entire nation ... Is it fair that you’re leveling allegations against the chief justice of Pakistan and his version is not coming out?” The government denies Chaudhry is under house arrest.
The government said on Friday a Supreme Judicial Council would hold an inquiry into “numerous complaints and serious allegations” against Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, the state-run APP news agency reported. Deputy Information Minister Tariq Azim Khan said there were no restrictions on his movements. “It’s up to him who he sees and who he meets too. It’s as simple as that,” Khan said.
Khan said the action against Chaudhry was in line with the constitution.
Private lawyer and legal analyst Anees Jillani said Chaudhry had taken up the case of hundreds of people who have gone missing after being taken into custody, many apparently suspected of links with militants.
Human rights groups have criticized the disappearance of at least 400 people since Pakistan joined the US-led war on terrorism in 2001.
Chaudhry had recently called on the government to provide details of the missing people.
“One of the major factors behind this is the case of the missing people because it was getting embarrassing for the government,” Jillani said. But Khan denied that.
“Lots has been read into this ... there is absolutely nothing that is related to the allegations that have been made,” Khan said, referring to the suggestions the action against Chaudhry stemmed from his handling of the case of the disappeared.
