The national flag hoisting ceremony was performed at the residence of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry at Judges’ Enclave Islamabad today. In the ceremony two flags were hoisted outside the residence of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry. The two flags unfurled on behalf of the civil society and the lawyers.
Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan announced the names of the persons who would hoist the flag. The names include Shaharyar Awan, the son of Imdad Awan Shaheed, Dr Israr Shah who lost his legs in the bomb blast on July 17, 2007. Civil society activist Tahira Abdullah, minorities leader J. Salik, Jaidev Sharma, Jamal Mir, Muhammad Naveed Mushtaq, mother of student leader Samad Khurram, Ali Asghar Khan, Hasil Bizenjo, representatives from media included Mazhar Abbas, Talat Hussain, Hamid Mir & Asima Shirazi.
Naheed Khan and Safdar Abbasi, two close aides of People’s Party chairperson Shaheed Benazir Bhutto represented her.
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I have to admit I started the day on a fairly jubilant note having woken up after receiving an SMS from an overseas friend that the Chief has been restored (I had gone to bed by mid night having watched the political drama incessantly for the past few days and as a result getting reprimanded by my spouse). Today back to work, I have had enough of sweets to put on a few pounds in the next few days as it all metabolizes. As evening has progressed and the adrenaline rush has subsided I have started to ponder the events of the last 24 hours and all doesn’t seem to add up. Perhaps the merry making and jubilation is premature.
I am making public a few of my communications with Aitzaz Ahsan and his consolidated response to help put things in perspective. There have been a few questions that had been lingering in every one’s minds regarding decisions made at crucial junctions of the movement, Aitzaz’s decision to remain in the PPP – even when the party is the only hindrance in the restoration of the judges -, the end of the Long March and the lawyers silence on the casualties in the War on Terror and I hope this can address all of them. Many other answers are not part of these long emails but will be answered in due time. 
Ansar Burney completed his tenure as the first ever caretaker minister of human rights. During his four months stint in the Ministry of Law, Burney worked hard tirelessly for providing a safe passage for suspected and convicted enemies of Pakistan while completely disregarding Pakistanis. He even went a step further by actively trying to dissuade Pakistanis from fighting for their own rights. As this article will show, Burney’s work would make any Indian proud of him and hence he will be referred more appropriately as Burney (Singh).
The top PPP leadership has recently approached the legal community proposing a “Minus-One-Formula” which opens the door for a full restoration of the judiciary without the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. It is in some way living up to the Murree Declaration albeit with a few political compromises but basically a face saving package for the PML-N and its full uncompromising commitment to the restoration of Pre-Nov 3rd judges. PPP being in the driving seat will undoubtedly bull doze its own agenda while the Sharif brothers will be left biting the dust and quite literally taken for a ride (willingly or unwillingly? – time will only tell). PML in turn may accept these compromise, claiming to fulfilled part of the promise as it was a minority partner in the PPP-led parliament