CJ Chaudhry narrates events of March 9

Islamabad, May 30 (UNI) Pakistani Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry narrated for the first time his version of the events of March 9 at the President's camp office in Rawalpindi.

Dawn newspaper quoting excerpts from the affidavit that Justice Chaudhary filed yesterday said that top intelligence officials had constantly pressured him into resigning, and after keeping him confined at the office for over five hours, he was allowed to leave in a flagless car.

'' I was informed that I have been restrained from acting as the Chief Justice.'' The non-functional' chief justice informed the full-bench hearing identical petitions against the presidential reference that since the action of March 9, he had remained a victim of intrusive and not-so-intrusive intelligence and police operation.

Justice Iftikhar said his entire house had been bugged, all his activities were being monitored, and everything and everyone' in and around his residence was being watched through a listening post set up at the nearby Sindh House.

He did not say in the affidavit if he had been summoned to the Army House by President General Pervez Musharraf or whether he had made a request to meet the president.

'' When I reached the Army House, President Musharraf, wearing military uniform, told him he had received a complaint against him from a judge of the Peshawar High Court.'' '' I replied that it was not based on facts as my case was decided by a two-member bench and that attempts are being made to maliciously involve the other member of the Bench as well.'' After this, the president said there were a few more complaints, directing his staff to call the 'other persons'.

The 'other persons' entered the room immediately. They were: Prime Minster Shaukat Aziz, the Directors General of Military Intelligence (MI), Director General of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Director General Intelligence Bureau (IB), Chief of Staff (COS) and another official. All officials (except the IB chief and the COS) were in uniform.

He said Gen Musharraf started reading notes from bits of paper. There was no single consolidated document containing charges against him. Most of the allegations had been taken from the contents of a recent 'notorious letter' written by advocate Naeem Bukhari.

The Chief Justice said he dismissed the accusations as being baseless, having been engineered to defame him and the judiciary.

Justice Chaudhary said President Musharraf insisted on his resignation and said that if he agreed to resign, he would 'accommodate' him.

In case of refusal, Gen Musharraf warned him, he would have to face a reference. '' I replied: I will not resign and would face any reference since I am innocent; I have not violated any code of conduct or any law, rule or regulation. I believe that I am the guardian of law. I strongly believe in God." The reply angered the President, who then left the room in haste along with his military secretary, COS and the Prime Minister, saying that others would show evidence to him.

'' The meeting lasted about 30 minutes. The chiefs of the MI, ISI and IB stayed back, but they too did not show me a single piece of evidence,'' the CJ said in his statement.

In fact, Justice Iftikhar said, no official, except the ISI chief, had any document with him.

The officials, however, alleged that Justice Iftikhar had used his influence to get his son admitted in Bolan Medical College, Quetta, when he was serving as a judge of the Balochistan High Court. The ISI and MI heads persisted with their demand for resignation, the CJ said. '' I refused, saying the demand has a collateral purpose.'' '' I was kept there absolutely against my will till 1700 hrs.

I was stopped there on one pretext or the other and at one stage was told the president will once again see me. '' After 1700 hrs the MI chief told me '' This is a bad day. Now you are taking a separate way and you are informed that you have been restrained from working as a judge of the Supreme Court or the Chief Justice of Pakistan'.'' Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry further said when he came out of the room, he was stunned to find that the national flag and the insignia of office were no longer there on his car.

'' My staff officer later informed me that Justice Javed Iqbal has taken oath as Acting Chief Justice and it has been shown on TV. My driver said he had been instructed not to drive the Chief Justice to the Supreme Court.'' MORE UNI XC AKJ HT1450