Chowrangi

Role of Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan in Lawyers’ Movement, restoration of suspended judges, and reinstation of Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry as Chief Justice of Pakistan, is shrouded in mystery and confusion. Aitzaz appeared on the scene as a lawyer for the deposed CJP after March 9th, 2007. That was nothing new because Aitzaz previously served as counsel for Nawaz Sharif as well. However, his position changed dramatically as he first became head of the team that was representing CJP’s case and later he fought and won the election of Supreme Court Bar Association President. To a conspiracy theorist, this seems to be a deeply thought-up move, injecting Aitzaz Ahsan high up in the lawyer fraternity that is protesting for the rights of their kin. Now, Aitzaz is the voice of CJP and seemingly leading the Lawyers’ Movement. Other prominent and vocal lawyers like Ali Kurd, Munir Malik and Justice Tariq Mehmood are apparently sidelined.

Aitzaz Ahsan belongs to Pakistan Peoples’ Party. It is evident that restoration of judiciary was not top at of list in PPP’s election manifesto. It was the need for Nawaz Sharif’s support and ultimately the Murree Declaration that forced PPP to raise voices for this issue.

Now, the PPP is stuck between Devil and the Dead Sea. At one end Co-Chairman Asif Zardari is trying to make everybody happy, including those who were part of previous government that sacked the judges. Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar considers President Musharraf as National Asset, and one PPP minister is doing rounds of the Judges Enclave getting assurances that once the judges are restored they won’t confront President Musharraf.

During all this mayhem, Aitzaz Ahsan is pretty much supporting his party. He is pacifying Lawyers’ Movement by acknowledging demands of party-buddy Farooq Naik. If restoration of judges is as easy as passing a resolution in Parliament then what is the need of forming committees and giving deadlines to the government? It should have happened in the inaugural session of the Parliament.

Aitzaz Ahsan should better clarify his position and decide which side he is supporting. Otherwise the nation will take him as a Pied Paper, taking Lawyers’ Movement down the drain.

Other posts by Kashif Aziz

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• Chile Earthquake, Hawaii Tsunami and Social Media - February 28th, 2010
• President Zardari apologized for childbirth in rickshaw - February 26th, 2010
• Reason of Traffic Jams in Karachi - February 19th, 2010
• Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Top Most Taliban Leader Caught in Karachi - February 16th, 2010
• PTCL Launches Largest Data Center of Pakistan - February 15th, 2010
• Reflections On Twin Blasts in Karachi - February 6th, 2010
• Aafia Siddiqui convicted, may be sentenced for 60 years - February 4th, 2010
• Dawn News going down the Drain? - January 30th, 2010
• Has Karachi Gone To Dogs? - January 27th, 2010