Suspension of Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry
The move to make Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry 'non-functional' was immediately followed by yet another decision by the president to send a reference under Article 209 of the Constitution of Pakistan to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) to investigate allegations of misconduct against him.
After his meeting with President Musharraf, he remained inside the presidential office for a few hours, and was later prevented from going to the Supreme Court by the security officials.
Soon after the oath taking ceremony, the SJC went into a session and decided to call on Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on 13 March to answer the allegations of misconduct levelled against him.
In the capital Islamabad, and in other cities such as Lahore, Karachi and Quetta, hundreds of lawyers dressed in black suits attended rallies, condemning the suspension as unconstitutional.
Justice Chaudhry issued a four-page press release denouncing the moves against him,[4] saying that neither President Musharraf nor the SJC had the authority to prevent him from working.
The Supreme Judicial Council Tuesday adjourned hearing of presidential reference against non-functional chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry till 13 April.
Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, leading lawyer assisting the non-functional Chief Justice in the reference, gave his arguments for open trial in the SJC proceedings, which were continued for an hour.
The lawyers and opposition parties' leaders and activists gathered in large number outside the Supreme Court building during hearing of the reference.
Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, leading lawyer assisting the non-functional Chief Justice in the reference, talking to newsmen said that he would raise various objections before the SJC in today's hearing.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Information Muhammad Ali Durrani, talking with Geo News, said that the government has not interfered anywhere and given chance to all sides to express their opinions.
Strict security measures have been taken in Islamabad on the hearing of presidential reference against non-functional Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry here on Friday.
Meanwhile, Muttahida Majlis Amal(MMA) leader Qazi Hussain Ahmad and Tahreek-i-Insaaf chairman Imran Khan also reached Supreme Court to lead the protests.
Opposition leader in National Assembly, chief of JUI (F) and MMA Secretary General Maulana Fazul Rehman has assured to take part in the protest.
Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) has adjourned the hearing of presidential reference against non-functional Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry till 18 April.
Panel of lawyers of Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry: Munir A Malik, Qazi Anwar, Tariq Mahmood and Hamid Ali Khan.
In the city of Lahore he fuelled opposition to the military rule of President Pervez Musharraf Sunday, telling a crowd of thousands that dictatorships will inevitably be 'destroyed'.
"[11] The Chief Justice was stationed at the Jinnah International Airport and was unable to leave due to violence and road-blocks established around his location till 8 p.m.
[9] Ultimately, Chaudhry would not compromise on this issue and returned to Islamabad, stating that he was unwilling to leave the airport without sufficient security as well as his cadré of lawyers.
[citation needed] On Monday, 14 May, in the wee hours of dawn, unidentified armed men broke into the house of Syed Hammad Raza, Additional Registrar Supreme Court, in Islamabad and shot him dead at point blank range.
An officer of the elite District Management Group, Hammad had impeccable professional credentials and commanded great respect among his peers.
The court was reconstituted with the remaining eleven Supreme Court judges (Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday, Muhammad Nawaz Abbasi, Faqir Muhammad Khokhar, Mian Shakirullah Jan, M. Javed Buttar, Tassadduque Hussain Jillani, Saiyed Saeed Ashhad, Nasir-ul-Mulk, Raja Fayyaz Ahmed, Chaudry Ijaz Ahmed, Syed Jamshed Ali) plus two ad-hoc Justices Ghulam Rabbani and Hamid Ali Mirza.
Ahsan cited the affidavit of former SC public relations officer Maj (r) Khalid Bilal in which he mentioned Chaudhry as "ineffective chief justice" and advised him not to lead rallies and address bars because the Supreme Judicial Council was hearing his case.
Ahsan said that the affidavit showed the date of 8 March when no reference had been filed, the CJP had not been declared ineffective and neither the SJC was hearing any case.
Meanwhile, government's lead counsel Justice (r) Malik Qayyum said on Friday that the SC could cross-examine the heads of the intelligence agencies and other respondents for the verification of their assertions.
Pakistan's Minister for Law Muhammad Wasi Zafar has that a new reference against Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry was ready and it would be filed at an "appropriate time, if needed."
He told Pakistani daily Dawn the decision to file a new reference in no way meant the first one was weak, adding that the new document had been formulated by his ministry and was being studied by legal experts.
"Both references are based on facts and the government is meeting its constitutional obligations," the law minister said......."[16] Armed men attacked the house of Advocate Amir Rana, nephew of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.
[citation needed] On 20 July 2007, the 13 judge panel from Supreme Court of Pakistan hearing on the case unanimously reinstated the Chief Justice.
In a second part of the verdict, the Supreme Court, 10-3, threw out the reference against the Chief Justice filed by President Pervez Musharraf, calling it illegal.
