Thousands Join Long March

Thousands Join Long March

By: Farooq Tariq


Thousands of lawyers, political, trade unions and social movement activists are on their way to Islamabad. They are participating in the Long March called by the lawyer’s movement. This is to push the Pakistan Peoples Party government to restore the top judges without any conditions.

The Long March started from Karachi on 9 June arrived in Sukhar at early hours of 10 June. Here they were joined by the participants of different groups from Baluchistan. They arrived at Multan on 10 June late hours, where the deposed chief justice Iftikhar Choudary had arrived to welcome this rally. They are still at Multan at the time of writing this report on the morning of 11 June. They would leave for Lahore around 1pm.

At Lahore, thousand will go to Lahore airport at 5pm to receive the chief justice Iftikhar Choudary and other deposed judges. The caravan will come to Lahore High Court where Iftikhar Choudary will speak to a convention of lawyers.
On 12 June, the participants of the Long March will leave for Islamabad. The lawyer’s leadership has not yet announced the plans for Islamabad. But it is understood that the activists will “Gherao” (picket) the parliament.
Labour Party Pakistan activists have joined the Long March from Karachi and on the way and they are joined by other LPP activists. They will be joined by another 50 LPP activists from Lahore. At Islamabad, the LPP is setting up camp to welcome the Long March participants.

The Long March was called after the newly elected parliament failed to restore the top judges as promised before the general elections. The Pakistan Peoples Party had promised to restore the judges within one month of coming to power but failed to do so. They want these judges restored through a constitutional package that include many conditions on the freedom of the judiciary.

The lawyer’s movement started on 9 March 2007 is entering its decisive phase. The Long March has caught up the imaginations of many workers and peasants and has started to join the movement.

Farooq Tariq
spokesperson Labour Party Pakistan 40-Abbot Road Lahore, Pakistan Tel: 92 42 6315162 Fax: 92 42 6271149 Mobile: 92 300 8411945
labour_party@ yahoo.com www.laborpakistan. org www.jeddojuhd. com