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  • Mar 12th, 2007
  • Comments Off on Chief Justice demands open trial: Asghar Khan
Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry wants open trial of the Presidential reference filed against him in the Supreme Judicial Council on the charges of misconduct and abuse of authority etc, so that the nation could know the real facts. This was stated by veteran politician Air Marshal Asghar Khan (Retd) after half an hour meeting with Justice Iftikhar at his residence here on Sunday.

Talking to a private TV channel, Asghar Khan said that he had asked for government's permission to meet the suspended Chief Justice as a private citizen but before waiting for permission from the security guards at the gate of CJ's residence, he walked into the house in the Judges' colony and met Justice Iftikhar.

He said that Chief Justice Iftikhar told him that his landline and cell telephones and TV connections had been cut off, supply of newspapers had been stopped and his contacts with the outside world had been disconnected.

He said that Justice Iftikhar wanted to meet members of the legal fraternity before his appearance before the Supreme Judicial Council on Tuesday at 1.30 pm in the Supreme Court building.

He said that Chief Justice Iftikhar's demand for open trial indicates that he would not resign from his office and contest the reference. Later, four judges of Supreme Court met with the non-functional Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

According to Aaj TV Supreme Court judges Justice Nasir ul Mulk, Justice Jamshed Ali, Justice Nawaz Abbasi and Justice Raja Fiaz met the non functional Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

Talking to newsmen, Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Sherpao said the government would not allow lawyers to surround the chambers of the SCJ on March 13 and would ensure security and protection of the judges.

Meanwhile, the Executive Committees of Pakistan Bar Council and Supreme Court Bar Association and other bar associations of the country have called for boycott of the courts on Monday and Tuesday.

In a separate interview, SBCA President Munir A Malik said that a national convention of the lawyers was being called in Islamabad to chalk out future strategy to deal with the worst judicial crisis of the country.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2007


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