Former Chief Justice Ifthikar Mohammad Chaudhry was on Monday night freed from house arrest minutes after newly-elected Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani ordered that all judges sacked by President Pervez Musharraf be immediately released, agencies report from Islamabad.

Chaudhry, who was sacked a year ago, has been in house arrest for the last four months. Some 60 judges of the superior judiciary were sacked on November 3, during last year’s Emergency imposed by the embattled President. Authorities had also tried to evict Chaudhry from his official residence.

Barbed wire barricades were cut and concrete barriers were removed from around Chaudhry’s residence. Chaudhary lauded the movement for the restoration of rule of Law and Constitution. “On behalf of myself and other judges of SC and HC who were illegaly and unconstitutionally placed under house arrest on Nov 3 (last year), I offer my thanks,” Chaudhry said.

Hundreds of lawyers, civil society activists and reporters rushed to the area after Gillani’s announcement. The lawyers and activists shouted slogans against Musharraf and waved posters with pictures of slain premier Benazir Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif and Chaudhry.

Some people distributed sweets to celebrate the order issued by Geelani.

Reacting to the announcement made by Geelani, deposed Supreme Court Judge Khalil Ramday told reporters in Lahore, “It is a step in the right direction, despite the immense wrong done to us.”

Bhutto murder probe
Gillani, a top member of the party of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, said, “I will ask the National Assembly to pass a resolution calling for investigation by the United Nations into Bhutto's murder.”