Neither is he sure what might happen in the future — despite the fact that Musharraf is now gone. “The skepticism derives from the government’s failure to fulfill their commitment even after four months. But their reiteration inspires some confidence now. The leadership can’t afford to violate this now,” he warns.

Ahsan’s position is extremely delicate. In his desire to see the judges reinstated, he finds himself squarely with Nawaz Sharif, the man who on Thursday gave a 24-hour deadline to the PPP to act or face a pullout from the government by the PML(N).

Yet, his position is clear. “I can opt out of the leadership of our movement but can’t leave the party,” he says sombrely. He tries to argue that there is no contradiction between his agitation and his membership of the PPP. “Not at all,” he says. “I am a member of PPP’s central executive committee. That why I pursue Benazir Bhutto’s idea when she stormed the barricades outside the Chief Justice’s residence in 2007. She said Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was still the Chief Justice of Pakistan and will be reinstated as soon as PPP was voted to power. I also pursue the commitment made by Asif Ali Zardari this year to reinstate every judge immediately.”

But he cannot hide his disappointment with his party either. “Right now, PPP appears to be dragging its feet on this and has lost public support,” he says. “Their reiteration is now more emphatic and credible, although it’s still not a victory of the lawyers movement.”

... contd.