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A Note for Chief Justice Iftikhar
Muhammad Chaudhry
 Pakistani
ruling elite is sicker beyond anyone’s imagination. This
sickness of ruling elite is not limited to usurpers in uniform
who illegally take over the country it is also very much part of
the mind-set of so-called democrats who protect criminals in the
name of reconciliation, national interest, or deteriorating
economic situation in the country. This sickness of the ruling
elite is the root cause of all the problems and ills of Pakistan
as a state and Pakistanis as a nation.
People of Pakistan hoped PPP will put
Pakistan in the right direction. It will restore judges, review
policies on war against terrorism, set aside IMF and World Bank
instructions to deal with the issue of runaway prices of
essential commodities and re-establish the writ of the
constitution in the country. However, PPP has chosen to embark
on the same old beaten track.
Like Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, his son in law, Mr.
Asif Zardari, has chosen to protect criminals who violated the
constitution, destroyed national institutions and made peoples’
lives miserable for 9 long years.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry took upon
himself to break the tradition and fix the country through
judicial activism. It was the right course. If he had remained
Chief Justice and continued judicial activism, the country would
have started moving on the right track.
Unfortunately, the sick ruling elite did not
like CJ’s judicial activism. Instead of accepting judicial
activism as a bitter medicine, the sick ruling elite wrapped up
the judiciary and sent all judges involved in judicial activism
home.
That sick ruling elite is still well and
alive in Pakistan. Criminals are free, their assets are intact,
their interests are protected, their operatives are still busy
in threatening and torturing hundreds of so-called missing but
in reality abducted Pakistanis in illegally built detention
centers in various cantonments throughout the country.
While this all goes on Mr. Zardari is focused
on consolidating his and his family’s political power in the
country. He has already assured his presidency. Bilawal Bhutto
Zardari, like Prince of Wales, is being groomed to be the future
ruler of Pakistan. What is this all? Where is Pakistan heading?
Common Pakistani folks are watching all these
shenanigans with despair and helplessness. The have lost the
hope February 18th elections gave them. Their
energies are dissipating while Farooq Naik and Sherry Rehman are
repeating statements of Wasi Zaffar and Mohammad Ali Durrani.
They are also watching the tactics newly appointed attorney
general Latif Khosa is using to divide judiciary and weakening
the lawyers’ movement.
Under these grim circumstances there is a
remote possibility the sick Pakistani ruling elite will allow
the continuation of reformation process Chief Justice Iftikhar
Chaudhry started by taking so moto notices and saying ‘No’ to
general Musharraf.
The question is what should be done under
these circumstances? Give up and compromise with whatever is
happening under the able leadership of Mr. Zardari and wait for
the Prince of the Wales Mr. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari?
Pakistan does not have that much time. If
someone thinks it does he is definitely out of his mind.
We suggest Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry
and his supporter attorneys should declare a political agenda
and start mass movement. The agenda should be more than
restoration and independence of judiciary. The agenda should be
complete change and overhaul of sick Pakistan ruling elite,
social, economic and political justice, equitable relationship
among federal units, and rebuilding of Pakistan with everyone’s
interests served and protected under the constitution of
Pakistan.
If Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and
lawyers start such movement the people of Pakistan will
overwhelmingly respond. They are sick and tired of continuity of
general Musharraf’s policies. They will gladly participate in
CJ’s movement and transform Pakistan into a country of their and
their forefathers’ dreams.
Reluctant warrior Aitzaz Ahsan also has to
change his lackluster approach towards PPP and reorganize the
lawyers’ movement for a significant and meaningful change in the
country. Pakistan cannot sit back and watch its destruction and
dismemberment. It is a matter of survival for Pakistan.
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