Apex Court Lawyers Condemn Pak CJ's Humiliation

New Delhi, Mar 13 (UNI) India's Supreme Court Bar Association today condemned the ''humiliation'' inflicted on Pakistan's Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary who was suspended five days ago and placed under house arrest.

Details of allegations against Justice Chaudhary have not been made public, but published accounts suggest that President Pervez Musharraf's action might have to do with the Judge's effort to make authorities account for people who disappeared after being taken into custody.

Justice Chaudhary was appointed in 2005 but perceived by authorities as ''controversial'' for trying to assert judicial independence and taking up human rights cases including those involving disappearances.

Human rights groups say at least 400 people have disappeared since Pakistan joined the United States-led war on terrorism in 2001.

The Indian Association held an emergency meeting and adopted a resolution voicing 'dismay' and 'anguish' at the ''treatment given to the Chief Justice of Pakistan in making him dysfunctional and... putting him under house arrest.'' Indian apex court lawyers also ''strongly'' condemned ''the atrocities of the police and security forces and use of force by them against the lawyers of Pakistan'' peacefully protesting the events.

The Association expressed 'solidarity' with Pakistan's legal fraternity in the struggle to ''restore rule of law and ensure independence of the judiciary''-- basic requirements of ''any kind of democracy.'' The Association urged ''all democratic forces in the world to intervene in the crisis in Pakistan and see that Rule of Law is restored soon.'' The resolution was forwarded to Pakistan's High Commissioner in New Delhi and lawyers' associations and groups in Pakistan.

UNI