Pakistani chief justice to receive Harvard Law School ‘Medal of Freedom’
November 13, 2007
Following last week’s military crackdown in Pakistan and the detention of hundreds of lawyers, the Harvard Law School Association has decided to award Pakistani Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry its highest honor: The Harvard Law School Medal of Freedom. Chaudhry was detained after he convened the Pakistani Supreme Court to declare the current state of emergency imposed by General Pervez Musharraf to be null and void.
Although Chaudhry has been placed under house arrest and is not free to leave Pakistan, Dean Elena Kagan has reached out to the chief justice regarding the award and hopes that he’ll be able to come to the Law School to receive it when the state of emergency is lifted.
“As lawyers who value freedom and the rule of law, we at Harvard Law School want Chief Justice Chaudhry and all of the courageous lawyers in Pakistan to know that we stand with them in solidarity,” said Kagan. “We are proud to be their colleagues in the cause of justice, and we will do all we can to press for the prompt restoration of constitutionalism and legality in Pakistan.”
Hundreds of lawyers and other critics of Musharraf have been detained since the emergency rule was established more than a week ago. HLS graduates and practicing lawyers in Pakistan Babar Sattar LL.M. '02 and Tariq Hassan LL.M. '76 S.J.D. '80 have spoken out in protest of the suspension of the constitution.
To raise awareness and further promote discussion about the events in Pakistan, the Harvard South Asia Initiative will be hosting campus-wide events on Friday, November 16.
The Medal of Freedom was established by Harvard Law School to honor the achievements of individuals who have worked to uphold the legal system’s fundamental commitment to freedom, justice, and equality. To symbolize this commitment, the award bears the image of Charles Hamilton Houston, whose leadership of the crusade that culminated in the landmark Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education exemplifies the highest ideals of our democracy.
Past recipients of the Medal of Freedom include the members of the Brown v. Board of Education litigation team and former South African President Nelson Mandela.
Re: Pakistani chief justice to receive Harvard Law School 'Medal of Freedom
bravo Sawaira to hear that.....
Juctice Iftikhar is is the honour of Pakistan..Iftikhar-e-Pakistan.....
who and his brave 6 judges stroke down the emergency and PCO..and there.is no emergency right now..in pakistan....
the most bravest ..judge Pakistan ever got.....
the first judge of pakistn history who brought SC to the poor people 4 Rs. letter ....even if he is in Gawadar ..or Gilgit..and immediate action took over his application....
the one and only judge of judicial history..who took 6000 SUO MOTO actions....
he is CJ of Pakistan ...now...as nobody can dismiss CJ or any judge....as famous quote is...
Judges can be apponted..but cannot be dismissed....
Lanti Dictator....cannot dismiss him..he is under Article 6.. high treason ..death sentence....which he will receivve soon..inshallh...
this is the man who saved 400 billion Steel Mills Karachi when mushy and Co...were selling on Rs 22 billions...
this is he man who first time in history ...punched into Establishment and relesed 100 innocent people in world known famous Missing People case from military agencies...of GASTAPO state of pakistan...
Re: Pakistani chief justice to receive Harvard Law School 'Medal of Freedom
actually baighairat dictator ...was pissing due to following cases....
11 judges hearing re election in uniform ...
7 judges hearing Nawaz Sharif forced exile case
2 judges hearing Lal Masjid inquiry case
3 judges hearing MIssing People case ..a last warning was issued last time for baighairat ISI IB and MI chiefs...
4 judges hearing rising prices case...
3 judges hearing Mushaarf and Shaukat Corruption in land in islamabad for vegetables but using it for themselves ..where Saturday nights ..all biaghatats modern of elite military class dance and do xxx in thse farm housese as said by CJ during the hearing of this case that ..i feel shame ...to tell that what happens on saturday nights there....
Justice Ramday statement..we can control the purity of elections 2008....
and most of all ..7 judges out of 11 ready to kick this dictator..in his uniform case ..so he issued illegal PCO to get rid all of them....
Re: Pakistani chief justice to receive Harvard Law School 'Medal of Freedom
....
where Saturday nights ..all biaghatats modern of elite military class dance and do xxx in thse farm housese as said by CJ during the hearing of this case that ..i feel shame ...to tell that what happens on saturday nights there....
....
I'm hoping he also felt some shame when 3 of his brother Jusctices also had similar fests, if there ever are/were any in either place (farm house or judges colony)...
Re: Pakistani chief justice to receive Harvard Law School 'Medal of Freedom
Didn't Harvard award some honorary degree to Benazir as well?
It did ... u know how it works in western universities ... they are always FIRST to give medals to "Mukhtraan Mai" but its hard for them to recognize "Abdul Sattar Edhi" beside that, I have tons of letters from US colleges here who are itching to give me award only if I can bare the "shipping and handling" expenses from 500$ - 2500$ :)
Re: Pakistani chief justice to receive Harvard Law School 'Medal of Freedom
Shamraz >> Yep, most likely. He is one of the most prominent figure in that catagory this year. Bravo to our lawyer community as well. There are praises and appreciation from around the world for them. Yesterday there was a rally carried out by American lawyers in D.C to show solidarity to Pakistani lawyers who are beaten and jailed by a mad dictator.
Only time will tell how Mush and CJ will be remembered in the history of this country.
Re: Pakistani chief justice to receive Harvard Law School 'Medal of Freedom
^^ mashallah these lawyers are angels...hai na??? I would never threaten to burn down my school if the school didnt work according to my wishes........Cuz thats a matter of respect towards an institution...... you get my drift... Your beloved lawyers.... shouldnt act like a paid demenstrators just like others....they should have some diginity towards their profession..... They are acting like lunies..... If they think they are educated then they should know that too, that two wrongs dont make a right.....
Re: Pakistani chief justice to receive Harvard Law School 'Medal of Freedom
Its sad how some people cannot personally do any good for the country and yet belittle the attempts of others such as the CJ and Imran Khan to improve the country!
Re: Pakistani chief justice to receive Harvard Law School 'Medal of Freedom
you know what would happen to an american lawyer who would lead a rally to celebrate the leadership provided hasan nasarullah and hizbullah against israel in the lebanon war? uncle sam would throw that lawyer in jail because hizbullah is a terrorist organisation therefore americans who support it are locked up in the slammer. also israel has locked up 10,000 palestinians in jail and yet i dont see any american lawyers protesting against isreal. i wonder why that is the case? what makes pakistani prisoners special and palestinian prisoners evil?
