As lawyers paralysed the working of courts across the country, Pakistan government has moved to avert a showdown with the judiciary by initiating steps to end the row over the apex court striking down appointments made by President Asif Ali Zardari.
Lawyers organised rallies and protests in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar and cities across the country on Monday to protest the judicial appointments made by the president without consulting Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry.
The supreme court had on Saturday struck down two judicial appointments made by Zardari that went against the recommendations of the fiercely independent chief justice.
The apex court's move triggered fears that the PPP and the judiciary could be headed for a showdown that could destabilise the government.
PM Yousaf Gilani has launched efforts to distance himself from the appointments made by Zardari, with members of his camp telling the media that his advice on the issue was not considered by the presidency. Sources said that Gilani's camp had even sent feelers in this regard to the judiciary.
During a meeting on Sunday with Chaudhry, Attorney General Anwar Mansoor delivered a message from the premier that the government respected the supreme court's order quashing the judicial appointments and did not want any confrontation between institutions, the Dawn reported.
The protests were reminiscent of the movement organised by lawyers after former military ruler Pervez Musharraf removed Chaudhry in 2007. The PM has said the decision on the judicial appointments was made after consulting constitutional and legal experts. “The decisions sometimes hit the mark and sometimes they go wrong but there is no wrong that has no remedy,” he said.
Legal experts have said the current imbroglio centres round the interpretation of Article 177 of Pakistan's constitution, which states that the apex court chief justice will be appointed by the president and “each of the other judges shall be appointed by the president after consultation with the chief justice”.
Some experts say that the president should have consulted the chief justice but the latter's advice is not binding. PTI
