Pakistan is seeing the greatest political upheaval it has witnessed in its history as the people have given a clear verdict in defence of the judiciary. The position of the chief justice, ousted judges, and the lawyers movement has been vindicated by the people. In the years to come, the key question in Pakistan will be how to re create the basic liberal institutions that the military in Pakistan has seriously damaged. In these circumstances, unconditional release of all persons held in prison for political reasons and the release of all judges and lawyers held in house arrest is a primary requirement. The government of President Musharraf does not have a mandate or anything to legitimize further harassment of any of these people. Under these circumstances, the re-arrest and the new conditions of repression imposed on Aitzaz Ahsan need to be condemned and his unconditional freedom need to be assured. This is a need not only for himself and his family but for Pakistan as a whole in this crucial hour when a new government is to be formed.
In the early hours of this morning (February 21), the government of Pakistan increased numbers of security personnel stationed outside the house of Mr. Aitzaz Ahsan, the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association and disconnected all his telephone lines. Around 200 policemen armed with AK47 rifles and rocket launchers, two armored cars and several jeeps suddenly arrived on the scene. His family members cannot enter the house unless they submit to a search. Zaman Park, a public place outside his house is now off limits to the public and some policemen also stationed below the boundary walls of his house.
Yesterday the provincial government of Punjab had eased the security detail outside Mr. Ahsans residence and one official of the Interior ministry told him that if he were to give an assurance he will not take part in politics he would be released. Mr. Ahsan refused. But later in the afternoon the police contingent was reduced to only four policemen. In the late evening hundreds of people held a sit in outside the house and they able to bring him outside. The media also attended and interviewed him on judicial issues and about power sharing in future. Mr. Ahsan told the assembled supporters and press that if the judiciary is not restored by March 9, 2008, there would be long march from all the provinces to Islamabad which would bring all the deposed judges to the city. The deposed judges, all retired judges and lawyers including civil society, journalists, doctors, teachers and the masses will participate in the march. It was shortly after he made this announcement that the police barged in, took over control of the premises and the surrounding area and closed all the roads leading to his house.
The care taker provincial minister of the interior told the media that Mr. Ashan had violated the orders of detention and that he cannot be released before the formation of a new government. His new detention order expires on March 2 but the government has also registered a new case against him for violating the terms and conditions of his detention.
It was very obvious that government apparently became more lenient after the announcement of election results and softened the security at the houses of the deposed judges and arrested lawyers. The BBC correspondent was not prevented from taking film clips of the security personnel posted outside the house of the deposed chief justice. But in the late evening when talks between the government and political parties failed, particularly on the issue of the deposed judiciary and judges, the government once again took a hard line. The two major political parties, the Pakistan Peoples Party and the PML-N, have shown their total support for the deposed judiciary and announced that they will not join the government until the restoration of the judiciary. This message was also delivered to the government of the United Satates through their embassy and also other European quarters, who are quite eager for Musharraf to retain his position as constitutional president. They are aware that if the judiciary is reinstated it would almost definitely mean the removal of an important ally, Musharraf.
The reinstatement of heavy security at the house of Mr. Ahsan is a clear cut demonstration of the Musharraf government that it will never respect the mandate of people of Pakistan in favour of deposed judiciary. The peoples reaction at Mr. Ahsans house of was an eye opener for the government and the foreign powers, who are much more interested in guiding the future political direction of the country according to their own requirements.
This is quite obviously the time for President Musharraf to listen to the voices of the people and immediately hand over power to the majority parties, release all the judges and lawyers, including Chief Justice of Pakistan and restore deposed judiciary without delay. He must also restore the constitution and allow the democratic process to take its own course.
