PESHAWAR " Deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry has said that during the last 60 years democracy was not allowed to thrive by the dictators who on many occasions usurped the rule of the country. Addressing the lawyers' convention at Peshawar, Iftikhar Mohamamd Chaudhry said that a year ago the people of Pakistan, using their right to self-determination under the Constitution of Pakistan, voted to elect the new administration. The lawyers of all the four provinces and Azad Jammu and Kashmir participated in the convention in large numbers. The convention passed a resolution demanding of the government to put on trial the former President General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf for abrogating the Constitution and creating such a situation in the country where innocent people had been killed or were missing. He said that no society could survive without the supremacy of law and independence of judiciary, assuring 'they will not let the nation down' and there would be no compromise on the supremacy of rule of law and independence of judiciary. Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, on the occasion, administered oath to newly elected cabinets of some 12 District Bar Associations of NWFP and Punjab, including Mardan, Chitral, Buner, Dargai, Bannu, Karak, Swabi, Chakdra Malakand, Lower and Upper Dir District Bar Associations of NWFP and Cabinet of District Bar Association, Kharayan from Paunjab. Iftikhar Chaudhry said that people had realized that country's affairs could not be run through unconstitutional means and without the rule of law. He said the country could not make economic strides unless there was the rule of law, good governance and rights of the citizens were respected. He pledged that the struggle for an independent judiciary and restoration of constitution would continue. "Lawyers are aware of the fact that Allah Almighty is the only supreme power over the Constitution under which the country's affairs are being run," he said adding, "What must be a point of concern at this point of time is that no one ever tried to determine the underlying reasons for the problems that the country continued to face." The deposed Justice Ijaz Afzal Khan, who also attended the convention, said that independent judiciary was the main demand among various grievances. He added that independent judiciary only could help good governance of the people to a great degree, and it was the judiciary that empowered people to franchise their right of vote through various judgments regarding electoral process. He contended that lawyers were the creator of Pakistan and their struggle for independence of judiciary and rule of law plays pivotal role in the stability and prosperity of the country. He also paid great tribute to lawyers who had sacrificed their lives for the rule of law as well as to those who were still struggling for the cause. He said that lawyers and masses were struggling for more than a year for the rule of law, adding that their struggle would bear fruits at long last. President Supreme Court Bar Association Ali Ahmad Kurd, President Peshawar High Court Bar Association Abdul Latif Afridi, former Presidents of Supreme Court Bar Associations Hamid Khan and Aitzaz Ahsan also spoke on the occasion. Vice Chairman NWFP Bar Council Ahmad Farooq Khattak presented the welcome address. They pledged to continue their struggle for the independence of judiciary, rule of law and supremacy of constitution in the country. They vowed to join hands with brother lawyers in the long march and Dharna (sit-in) at Islamabad on March 12 and 16, respectively. The convention condemned the Peoples Party notice issued to Aitzaz Ahsan. They said that the lawyers were united on restoration of judges and independence of judiciary. They said that without independence of judiciary no country could survive, adding, "We demand for November 2nd judiciary". They said the lawyers had launched historic movement for the rule of law and independence of judiciary. The lawyers vowed to continue the struggle for independence of judiciary, rule of law and restoration of judges.