| ISLAMABAD: The government on Saturday did not allow the Chairperson of the Pakistan People’s Party, Benazir Bhutto, to meet the deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry by blocking all the roads leading to the Judges Colony with barbed wire and deploying large police force there.
Benazir Bhutto, accompanied by PPP Secretary General Jehangir Badar and Zammarud Khan, party workers and local and international media, tried to reach the Judges Colony to meet the deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry but she was not allowed to go ahead. Police thrashed the charged PPP activists with batons when they tried to remove the obstacles and move forward. In retaliation, the PPP workers began pelting stones at the police but were stopped from doing so by Benazir Bhutto and other senior PPP leaders.
After the PPP chairperson was stopped from proceeding to the residence of the deposed chief justice, she addressed the police personnel on megaphone to persuade them to remove the obstacles from her path. However, they remained unmoved.
Addressing the party workers and media people on this occasion, Benazir Bhutto said, "Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry is the real chief justice of Pakistan and we demand that all detained judges of the Supreme Court should be released."
She said all the democrats and the PPP would launch a public movement against the dictatorship and hoist the national flag at the house of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. "This flag will be a symbol of justice," she said, adding, "the house arrest of the chief justice was illegal and unconstitutional."
The PPP chairperson appealed to the people of all schools of thought and civil society to came out and join the long march, which would be started on November 13 from Lahore to Islamabad for restoration of real democracy and getting rid of the dictatorship.
"There is a threat to the integrity of Pakistan as the extremist forces are fast gaining influence in the country. Pakistani flags are being removed and extremists are hoisting their own flags in many parts of the tribal areas. Now acts of terrorism are taking place in Swat and other cities of the NWFP,” she added.
The PPP leader also appealed to students and youth to wake up and join the struggle for the protection of the country. "Our Army can defend our country but it is deprived of the support of the public and leadership. The hands that should be raised for the defence of the country are falling on the Supreme Court," she regretted.
Earlier, the former prime minister joined a protest demonstration of journalists outside the offices of a private TV channel in Blue Area to express solidarity with the media people.
Addressing the protesters, she said the PPP believed in the freedom of the press and expression. "We stand with the media and will struggle for its freedom. Media and all democratic forces should fight the dictators to save the Pakistan of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah," she urged.
Benazir said that dictatorship was harmful for the country and their war was against it.
She said that media was an important pillar of the State and illegal restrictions on the same would never be tolerated at any cost.
She said Pakistan was passing through a dark period of its history, adding their struggle against dictatorship would continue.
President PFUJ Huma Ali, Secretary General Mazhar Abbas, President RIUJ Muhammad Afzal Butt and other senior journalists were also present on the occasion.
Online adds: In her address, Benazir regretted, "We were not allowed to meet deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry while Maulana Fazlullah is being permitted to take the scenic valley of Swat into his possession."
"Our party workers are being detained and crushed. Islam does not allow cruelty. Our movement is peaceful. Revolution is coming in the country," she said.
Benazir said they had no fight against the police and law enforcement agencies.
National flags were taken down from Khyber, Bajaur, Waziristan and were being brought down from Swat now, she lamented.
She said the PPP, with the support of the masses, would not allow anyone to desecrate the national flag, adding, journalists, the lawyer fraternity, minorities, labourers, political parties, human rights organisations and people of all walks of life must wake up and raise their voice for their rights.
The country is passing through turmoil, as there is shortage of genuine leadership, she observed.
She urged political activists of all parties to join the long march to be led by her while carrying their respective party flags.
On this occasion, PPP activists raised slogans against President General Pervez Musharraf and in support of Benazir Bhutto.
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