ISLAMABAD — President Pervez Musharraf yesterday opened a high court in Pakistan’s capital as lawyers observed a nationwide strike to press for the reinstatement of sacked Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.
Lawyers traveled in motorcades from Lahore, Gujrat, Gujar Khan, Attock and Peshawar to the residence of Aitzaz Ahsan in Islamabad to hold a meeting and press for the rehabilitation of courts, reinstatement of Chaudhry and release of all detained lawyers and judges. The lawyers wanted to hold their convention at the Supreme Court building but authorities denied them permission.
Later police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse hundreds of lawyers who tried to reach the residence of Chaudhry. The demonstrators raised slogans against Musharraf, who sacked Chaudhry on Nov. 3 under a state of emergency. Chaudhry remains under detention despite the lifting of the emergency in mid-December.
Musharraf meanwhile administered the oath of office to Sardar Mohammad Aslam as chief justice of the Islamabad High Court. The ceremony was attended by Supreme Court Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, judges of the Supreme Court and members of the caretaker Cabinet.
The court will have eight judges besides the chief justice and will start formal sessions this month, meeting a longstanding demand of the people and lawyers of the Islamabad Capital Territory.
Until now, cases pertaining to the area were heard by the Rawalpindi Bench of the Lahore High Court.
Secretary to the Department of Law and Justice Mohammad Raza Khan said that initially the Islamabad High Court will function at the site of the new judicial complex.
— With input from agencies
