By Our Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Nov 14: The Harvard Law School, one of the world’s most prestigious legal institutions, has decided to award Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry its highest honour.
The award -- the Harvard Law School Medal of Freedom -- is given to selected personalities for their contributions to freedom, justice, and equality. Former South African President Nelson Mandela is one of the previous recipients of this award.
“As lawyers who value freedom and the rule of law, we at Harvard Law School want Chief Justice Chaudhry and all of the courageous lawyers in Pakistan to know that we stand with them in solidarity,” said Dean Elena Kagan.
“We are proud to be their colleagues in the cause of justice, and we will do all we can to press for the prompt restoration of constitutionalism and legality in Pakistan,” she said.
The school plans to hold a grand ceremony to award the medal and hopes that Justice Chaudhry will be allowed to attend.
The statement announcing the award identifies Mr Chaudhry as Pakistan’s chief justice and not as a deposed or former judge. The school identified several Harvard graduates who are participating in the movement against the emergency rule. To raise awareness about the events in Pakistan, the Harvard South Asia Initiative is hosting campus-wide events on Friday. “Although Mr Chaudhry has been placed under house arrest and is not free to leave Pakistan, Dean Kagan has reached out to the chief justice regarding the award and hopes that he’ll be able to come to the Law School to receive it when the state of emergency is lifted,” the statement said.
The award bears the image of Charles Hamilton Houston who helped abolish separate school system for black and white students in America.
Dawn 15/Nov/07
Showing posts with label Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudary. Show all posts
Friday, November 16, 2007
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Seven judges reject PCO before being sent home
ISLAMABAD, Nov 3: In an unprecedented move, seven judges of the Supreme Court on Saturday overturned the Provisional Constitutional Order and restrained the Chief of Army Staff, corps commanders, staff officers and other civil and military officers from acting under the decree.
The judges restrained President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz from taking actions contrary to the independence of the judiciary and asked the judges of the Supreme Court and the high courts, including their chief justices, not to take an oath under the PCO or follow any other extra-constitutional step.
Headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, the bench that handed down the unanimous two-page order consisted of Justice Rana Bhagwandas, Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Nasirul Mulk, Justice Raja Fayyaz and Justice Ghulam Rabbani.
Anticipating something unusual, the judges remained in the Supreme Court till late afternoon on a day when the court never assembles. It otherwise would not have been possible for them to pass the order. “We feel that the government has no ground or reason to take extra-constitutional steps, particularly for the reasons being published in newspapers that a high-profile case is pending and is not likely to be decided in favour of the government, although the matter is still pending,” the order said.
Appointment of the chief justice or judges of the Supreme Court or chief justices of the high courts under the new PCO would be unlawful and without jurisdiction, it said.
Copies of the order were sneaked out to the awaiting newsmen outside the court premises.
The order came on an application of Supreme Court Bar Association president Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan. The application was fixed for Monday to be taken up by a full court.
A constitutional expert, who wished not to be named, said the oath taking of the new chief justice was illegal because the PCO was struck down the moment it was issued.
More than seven judges of the Supreme Court were required to reverse the restraining order, he said, adding that to the best of his knowledge only four judges were available in the capital till late Saturday night.
Another lawyer close to the government circles put the blame on the judiciary and lawyers, saying “they asked for it”. He termed the extra-constitutional measure a bitter pill necessary for the treatment of an ailment.
In its order, the Supreme Court said the PCO had been promulgated to enable the government to administer a fresh oath to the chief justice and judges of the court so that favourable judges could be appointed.
Aitzaz Ahsan, while filing his application on Friday, had requested an 11-member bench to take immediate action before the axe fell on the judges. Attorney-General Malik Mohammad Qayyum had replied in an angry tone that no martial law was being imposed.
HOUSE ARREST: Sacked Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and some other judges who refused to take an oath under the new PCO were placed under house arrest shortly after the seven-member bench declared the proclamation of emergency unconstitutional, sources in the police department said.
Justice Chaudhry had earlier been told by the government that his services were no longer required and he had been escorted back to his home.
He returned home in his car carrying the chief justice flag, along with the official motorcade. Alighting from his vehicle, he looked calm and composed and was greeted by his personal staff.
His home was later surrounded by personnel of the Islamabad police, Punjab Constabulary and intelligence agencies. The road leading to judicial colony had been blocked since evening.
The judges restrained President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz from taking actions contrary to the independence of the judiciary and asked the judges of the Supreme Court and the high courts, including their chief justices, not to take an oath under the PCO or follow any other extra-constitutional step.
Headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, the bench that handed down the unanimous two-page order consisted of Justice Rana Bhagwandas, Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Nasirul Mulk, Justice Raja Fayyaz and Justice Ghulam Rabbani.
Anticipating something unusual, the judges remained in the Supreme Court till late afternoon on a day when the court never assembles. It otherwise would not have been possible for them to pass the order. “We feel that the government has no ground or reason to take extra-constitutional steps, particularly for the reasons being published in newspapers that a high-profile case is pending and is not likely to be decided in favour of the government, although the matter is still pending,” the order said.
Appointment of the chief justice or judges of the Supreme Court or chief justices of the high courts under the new PCO would be unlawful and without jurisdiction, it said.
Copies of the order were sneaked out to the awaiting newsmen outside the court premises.
The order came on an application of Supreme Court Bar Association president Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan. The application was fixed for Monday to be taken up by a full court.
A constitutional expert, who wished not to be named, said the oath taking of the new chief justice was illegal because the PCO was struck down the moment it was issued.
More than seven judges of the Supreme Court were required to reverse the restraining order, he said, adding that to the best of his knowledge only four judges were available in the capital till late Saturday night.
Another lawyer close to the government circles put the blame on the judiciary and lawyers, saying “they asked for it”. He termed the extra-constitutional measure a bitter pill necessary for the treatment of an ailment.
In its order, the Supreme Court said the PCO had been promulgated to enable the government to administer a fresh oath to the chief justice and judges of the court so that favourable judges could be appointed.
Aitzaz Ahsan, while filing his application on Friday, had requested an 11-member bench to take immediate action before the axe fell on the judges. Attorney-General Malik Mohammad Qayyum had replied in an angry tone that no martial law was being imposed.
HOUSE ARREST: Sacked Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and some other judges who refused to take an oath under the new PCO were placed under house arrest shortly after the seven-member bench declared the proclamation of emergency unconstitutional, sources in the police department said.
Justice Chaudhry had earlier been told by the government that his services were no longer required and he had been escorted back to his home.
He returned home in his car carrying the chief justice flag, along with the official motorcade. Alighting from his vehicle, he looked calm and composed and was greeted by his personal staff.
His home was later surrounded by personnel of the Islamabad police, Punjab Constabulary and intelligence agencies. The road leading to judicial colony had been blocked since evening.
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