By Jaya Spier
Pakistan is not a country known for its stability and since the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and the state of Emergency announced by Pervez Musharraf, President of Pakistan (at the time) and Chief of Army Staff, in 2007 the government has been especially unsteady. This month lawyers in Pakistan are marching to the Parliament building to protest the dismissal of 60 judges, as well as the liberal former chief justice Ifikhar Muhammad Chaudry.
On March 12 lawyers from different cities all over the country will begin their march to Islamabad. They plan to arrive on March 16 where they will demonstrate in the form of a sit-in on Constitution Avenue. Those involved have said the sit-in will last as long as it needs to until the judges are reinstated (xinhuanet.com).
Ifikhar Muhammad Chaudry was a rival of Pervez Musharrafs and there is fear that if Chaudry is reinstated he will call for charges against Bhuttos widower husband, now President Asif Ali Zardari and son Bilwali of corruption. Musharraf is part of the ruling (Bhutto’s) party, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) he was removed from his unconstitutional position as President in September 2008 when Zardari won by a majority in Pakistan’s elections.
Along with President Musharraf’s decision to rid Pakistani courts of so many of its judges a new party formed in opposition, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). Former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, heads this new party. He has stated that PML-N will fully participate in the march to Islamabad in support of the rehiring of the deposed judges.
“Today is the historic day that the lawyers and judges have come out to protect the country and the constitution," said Sabihuddin Ahmed, the deposed head of the Sindh high court, in Karachi” (guardian.co.uk).
Another aspect that could prove to be extremely beneficial is the possibility of Pakistan gaining the support of private investors. As always we come back to the economic crisis. However, Aitzaz Ahsan, top lawyer, protest organizer and member of Zardari’s party believes that if the President kept his promise to reinstate Chaudhry he could end the protest.
Ahsan also said, "Iftikhar Chaudhry's reinstatement can open the flood gates to private investment…Private investment goes only to countries where the judiciary is independent…I know the world is under a deep recession but as and when the wheels start turning, that's the only recipe we have for attracting investment in a country that is bedeviled with so many problems” (in.reuters.com)
If the protest works, perhaps the government can come to some sort of compromise, “flooding” Pakistan with new money and some liberal ideals.
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