Ali Ahmad Kurd

Ali Ahmad Kurd is the former Vice Chairman of Pakistan Bar Council. He is the leading candidate for the president-ship of the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan, elections for which will be held on October 2008.

He is known for his aggressive speeches and outspoken attitude towards the military regime of General Pervaiz Musharraf. He served as a lawyer on lead counsel for the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Mr Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry in the reference filed against him by General Pervez Musharraf. Along with the CJP and other lawyers in his defense team, Mr Kurd has been addressing the Pakistani nation on the issue of judicial independence in various bar councils.

His speech during the seminar in the Supreme Court in Islamabad on "Separation of Powers and Judicial Independence" invoked the displeasure of the army and General Musharraf's government for its aggressive tone. Soon after this seminar, the government forbade the electronic media to cover any more bar council addresses by the Chief Justice and his lawyers. Then on June 3, 2007 a draconian "Pemra Ordinance 2007" was enacted that aimed to gag the electronic media. Due to domestic and international pressure the government was forced to withdraw the PEMRA ordinance. However, there is a ban on broadcasting the visit of Chief Justice to bar associations across the country.

Mr Kurd's addresses to the bar councils (below) are of historic significance. No one in Pakistan's history has addressed a military ruler or the army in such a belligerent tone on live TV. Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain (president of ruling PML-Q) added to controversy by stating that those who raises slogans against the Pakistan army should be shot.

Arrest

Kurd was arrested on April 29, 2007 in Quetta on the charges of inciting people during an absentia funeral of Nawab Akbar Bugti a year earlier. Upon protests from lawyers, he was released. [ [http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007%5C04%5C29%5Cstory_29-4-2007_pg7_47] Accessed Daily Times, 09 December 2007]

After the impostition of emergency in Pakistan on November 3, 2007, Kurd was again arrested along with the other lawyers of the movement which had led to the restoration of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry. There have been widespread allegations that Mr Kurd along with another lawyer Mr Munir Malik are being tortured in detention.

After imposing martial law in Pakistan on Nov 3rd 2007, Musharraf ordered the arrest of Ali Ahmad Kurd. He is currently being held in Quetta. While in police detention Ali Ahmad Kurd filed the nomination papers to contest parliamentary elections from NA-55 and NA 56 in Rawalpindi. He is also a contestant from Quetta.

Address to Peshawar High Court Bar on April 21, 2007

"He is not a man who has no passion, and that passion is useless that does not challenge general Pervez Musharraf. Enough of this fooling around! Enough of this fooling around! Today a man on the basis of his arrogance! Today a man on the basis of his haughtiness has dared to challenge the Chief Justice of Pakistan. If you are men you'll stay in the battlefield and not turn your back."

Address to Supreme Court Bar on May 26, 2007

cquote|Long ago, we said ... we said to that man (Pervez Musharraf) beware . The battle that you started by manhandling the Chief Justice of Pakistan, by assaulting the constitution ...... this battle is not any ordinary battle. It is a battle between two uniforms. And we also said that be careful, 150 million people of Pakistan are neither anyone's fiefdom, nor anyone's slaves.

[Crowd (all lawyers) jumps to their feet in applause and start chanting, "Go Musharraf Go!"]

The people of Pakistan are no one's property nor are they slaves! ("In Urdu, Pakistan kay awam na kisi kay baap ki jaagir hein na ghulaam hein") This is the voice! This is that nation! These are the sons and citizens of this land! Today their valor and their courage! You and your disciple generals, do you have this courage, this power? You and those generals who were not ashamed to imprison a man (in the army headquarters) for 5 hours!

This is our declaration, we declare, we don't recognize this man, we don't recognize his throne (referring to General Pervaiz Musharraf)

While talking to you in the life, living, breathing, independent, my head is held high; by God, even if I am beheaded you'd still hear my voice from my grave that I don't recognize this man, I don't recognize this throne (referring to General Pervaiz Musharraf)

Don't dare to come in front of us. For you, we got fire in our eyes, and hatred in our hearts! By God if anyone goes against us, this is a war, beware, it will be our hand and your neck!

What does a man want? All he wants is to make his bread and butter with dignity; he wants the right to say proudly this land is his land; a right to say he is not a slave in his own country. [http://youtube.com/watch?v=gfGzh75M3zM YouTube - Broadcast Yourself ] ] |

Address to Multan High Court Bar on June 24, 2007

Ali Ahmad Kurd Speaks After CJP Reinstatement

cquote|This is a victory of PAKISTANI people.This is a victory of labourars,farmars and poor of this country.It was a day for the decision of pakistani's wishes.Today pakistanis have won and the bloody generals of ARMY have beaten down.They are the loosers.From last seven years every grain,each part of this country was waiting for this decision.

We have already said that if the decision would be in favour of Chief Justice of Pakistan Mr.Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudary then the referring authority(pervez musharraf) will have to go.

This was the end of first phase of our movement. The next phase will be the removal of General Pervez Musharaf. [ ] |

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