LAHORE, Dec 07: "Independent Judiciary is the key to bring cruel system to an end. The honorable judges of superior judicature have sacrificed a lot by not taking oath under the PCO. If they were left alone then the nation would never be able to come out of the clutches of tyrannical system."

These views were expressed by Syed Munawar Hasan, Secretary General Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan while delivering jumma sermon at Jamia Mosque Mansoorah on Friday. The JI leader took strong exception to the threat calls to defiant judges and strongly slammed the government's effort aimed at their eviction from their official residences. "The ban and check on their free movement inside the country has ridiculed Pakistan amongst the comity of nations." This, he said, speaks of the double standards of General Pervez Musharaff who despite his retirement from the army is not willing to vacate the COAS official residence [Army House] but using state machinary to pressurise the judges to vacate their houses.

He went on to say that the whims of an individual have bulldozed all the state institutions. Constitution is held in abeyance while there is eventual Martial Law under the pretext of so called emergency plus. He termed the interim government in the provinces and federal capital continuation of the previous regime while adding that the partisan approach of the Election Commission is talk of the town. "We can not expect justice from the judges who had sworn in under the PCO, therefore, entire nation, political parties are bound to kick off a nation wide drive for restoration of the constitution and judiciary, independent election commission and non partisan interim government so that nation could elect their representatives under free and fair elections."

Meanwhile, addressing Jumma congregation at Jamia Mosque Syed Muadudi International Institute the naib ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Hafiz Mohammad Idrees held the internal conspirators responsible for the fall of Muslim regimes in the past. He was of the view that on going judicial crisis does not in any way reflect Pakistan soft image around the globe. Lauding the role of defiant judges Hafiz Mohammad Idrees said the tactful mum of Washington on the judicial crisis speaks of her double standards as the US did not bother to address this issue even considering it violation of basic human rights. He urged the nation to cement unity in their ranks and dismantle the Musharaff. (#)


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