KHURRAM SHAHZAD
ISLAMABAD - A reported telephone call by Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry about a decision on the petition of Presidential election prompted the authorities to impose state of emergency in the country.
A government official, when asked about the reasons behind the move, said that Justice Iftikhar reportedly informed one of his friends on telephone that the Supreme Court was going to hand down verdict against President Musharraf, which was tapped by the secret agencies.
The agencies intercepted a call from CJ’s phone few days ago in which he even disclosed the number of judges favouring and opposing this decision, and this forced the top policymakers to devise the emergency plan, the official said.
The official, working closely with one of the Presidential aides, further said that the government took extra time in execution of this plan so as to make it safer.
“They have been holding clandestine meetings for the last few nights, which cost them almost an extra day than the estimated time to execute the emergency plan,” the official disclosed.
“Iftikhar Chaudhry told his friend that eight judges gave their opinion against General Pervez Musharraf, while three others were in his favour,” the official said adding that this information was substantial for secret agencies to take the extreme
action of emergency imposition.
Meanwhile, it was learnt that Pakistan People’s Party Chairperson Benzir Bhutto recommended the name of Justice Abdul Hamid Dogar for new Chief Justice of Pakistan.
“The top government quarters took BB in confidence on the issue and she nodded in favour of Mr Dogar,” the official stated.
To authenticate his information, he said that Justice Dogar was appointed by Benazir Bhutto in 1995.
Meanwhile, another source revealed that a midnight crackdown against lawyers’ community was expected on Saturday while the judges refusing to take a fresh oath under new PCO were being put under security house arrest.
He said that all important leaders of the lawyers were also likely to be taken into custody.
Nation - 4th November 2007
ISLAMABAD - A reported telephone call by Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry about a decision on the petition of Presidential election prompted the authorities to impose state of emergency in the country.
A government official, when asked about the reasons behind the move, said that Justice Iftikhar reportedly informed one of his friends on telephone that the Supreme Court was going to hand down verdict against President Musharraf, which was tapped by the secret agencies.
The agencies intercepted a call from CJ’s phone few days ago in which he even disclosed the number of judges favouring and opposing this decision, and this forced the top policymakers to devise the emergency plan, the official said.
The official, working closely with one of the Presidential aides, further said that the government took extra time in execution of this plan so as to make it safer.
“They have been holding clandestine meetings for the last few nights, which cost them almost an extra day than the estimated time to execute the emergency plan,” the official disclosed.
“Iftikhar Chaudhry told his friend that eight judges gave their opinion against General Pervez Musharraf, while three others were in his favour,” the official said adding that this information was substantial for secret agencies to take the extreme
action of emergency imposition.
Meanwhile, it was learnt that Pakistan People’s Party Chairperson Benzir Bhutto recommended the name of Justice Abdul Hamid Dogar for new Chief Justice of Pakistan.
“The top government quarters took BB in confidence on the issue and she nodded in favour of Mr Dogar,” the official stated.
To authenticate his information, he said that Justice Dogar was appointed by Benazir Bhutto in 1995.
Meanwhile, another source revealed that a midnight crackdown against lawyers’ community was expected on Saturday while the judges refusing to take a fresh oath under new PCO were being put under security house arrest.
He said that all important leaders of the lawyers were also likely to be taken into custody.
Nation - 4th November 2007
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