Washington, Mar 6: In recognition of Pakistan lawyers and judges’ role in upholding and defending the independence of the judiciary in a state of emergency prior to February 18 polls, the Amnesty International has conferred two plaques on the country’s legal community hailing their efforts.

The two plaques citing the reasons for the conferment of the awards were received on behalf of Pakistan’s judges and lawyers by visiting Pakistani lawmen Hamid Khan and Sahibzada Anwar Hamid.

The awards were given at a meeting organised for them at Amnesty headquarters by T Kumar, who heads the human rights group in Washington, reported the Daily Times.

The two plaques read: "Amnesty International USA salutes the Lawyers Movement of Pakistan who stood up during the recent state of emergency in defence of an independent judiciary"; and "Amnesty International USA salutes the Judges of Pakistan’s courts who stood up during the recent state of emergency in defence of an independent judiciary."

After the removal of Pakistan’s deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Chowdhary, the legal community in the country had waged a war on the Musharraf regime and refused to budge before the autocratic rule. They fearlessly carried on with their struggle for restoration of Justice Iftikhar in particular and independence of judiciary in general. (ANI)