Pak lawyers fear repetition of 1971

The lawyers in Pakistan agitating for the restoration of democracy have alleged that President Pervez Musharraf is serving the US design of converting Pakistan into Afghanistan by deploying heavy forces in Waziristan and Balochistan, and fear that the ongoing turmoil would lead to a repeat of the 1971 situation when East Pakistan broke away to become an independent nation.

Lahore, July 20 : The lawyers in Pakistan agitating for the restoration of democracy have alleged that President Pervez Musharraf is serving the US design of converting Pakistan into Afghanistan by deploying heavy forces in Waziristan and Balochistan, and fear that the ongoing turmoil would lead to a repeat of the 1971 situation when East Pakistan broke away to become an independent nation.

At a meeting of the Lahore High Court Bar Association, the lawyers said that the killings of innocent people under the cloak of anti-terror war had rooted a deep sense of insecurity in the citizens of Balochistan and Waziristan, and "if the situation remained same for some time further, no one can stop the country meeting the outcome of 1971."

Urging the fellow lawyers to rise to the occasion by aggressively pursuing the restoration of democracy campaign, Sarfraz Ahmad Cheema said that country would meet the 1971 end if lawyers failed to register their protest.

"The only solution, is a free and fair election and power to the middle class people who merit to rule to the country," The Nation quoted Ahsan Wyne, as saying.

Malik Hamid Sarfraz, a well-known lawyer, said that in view of massive killings in the country, Musharraf had become a 'cannibal' while serving interest of America.

Another noted lawyer Firdaus Butt was of the opinion that the time was ripe for the exiled political leaders of the country to come to Pakistan lest "the masses would discard them and would not let their dream of getting the power in a platter, materialised."

Stating that the four-month old struggle carried out by the lawyers will soon bore fruit, Butt said that their struggle would not come to a halt with the restoration of the suspended Chief justice of Pakistan, but would continue till the end of dictatorship.

ANI