`Lawyers forced dictator to quit`

PESHAWAR, April 1: The high court chief justice, Ejaz Afzal Khan, stated here on Friday that the lawyers` movement had injected life into a demoralised society and forced a dictator to quit. "What the lawyers have done since March 2007 is not magic and their journey for the development of the country and independence of judiciary is still in progress," said Justice Ejaz Afzal at the oath-taking ceremony of the newly-elected cabinets of PHC Bar Association and some other district and tehsil bar associations. The chief justice said that the lawyers were the only segment of the society which was not a saleable commodity, like the officials serving in other institutions. He called upon lawyers to help the judiciary in appointment of competent and pious judges in superior judiciary. Justice Ejaz Afzal said that before the lawyers` movement, it was a common perception that nobody could raise voice against a dictator and authoritarian rule, but the lawyers proved all those perceptions false. He was of the opinion that both bench and bar were inseparable from each other and judges could do nothing without the support and guidance of the bar. "I have no personal agenda but we have to take tough decisions for rule of law and supremacy of the constitution," the chief justice stated. He added that he would not hesitate to sacrifice his life and career for the purpose. The PHC chief justice said that senior lawyers should come forward and guide their junior colleagues. He added with the support of the bar most of the problems faced by the lawyers could be resolved. Other judges of the high court including Justice Shahjehan Khan Yousafzai, Justice Dost Muhammad Khan, Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Yahya Afridi also attended the ceremony. Earlier, the newly-elected president of PHCBA, Khwaja Muhammad Gara, secretary general Ameenur Rehman and Abdul Qadir Khattak addressed the ceremony. They highlighted some problems faced by the lawyers and also called upon the chief justice to elevate competent and honest judges to the bench so as to resolve the issue of scarcity of judges at the earliest.