Karachi, Feb.3 : The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), has strongly condemned the re-arrest of Pakistan Supreme Court Bar Association (PSCBA) president Aitzaz Ahsan and Justice (Retd) Tariq Mehmood as well the banning on entry of Ahsan into Sindh.

The Punjab government put Ahsan under detention for a period of 30 days on Saturday, after he was stopped from flying out to Sukkur at the Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore, under an order of the Sindh government, issued earlier in the day.

Mehmood was placed under "preventive custody" by the Islamabad administration to pre-empt what it called his plans to create unrest in the capital.

Both Ahsan and Mehmood have been leading the legal fraternity's ongoing campaign against the Musharraf government. Both were set free by the authorities recently -- Ahsan on Thursday night and Justice Mehmood on Friday evening.

HRCP Secretary-General Senator (Retd) Iqbal Haider these actions of the authorities were not only illegal and unconstitutional, but were an utter abuse of authority and exposed once again the vendetta, vengeance of all authorities from the President of Pakistan to the lowest level acting under his dictation.

Haider alleged that it was obvious that concerned authorities in Pakistan were petrified by the lawful and peaceful struggle of the lawyers and civil society.

He said that the rule of law is imperative to the holding of free and fair elections and protection of all democratic institutions.

He described the re-arrest of Ahsan and Justice Mehmood as blatant violation of all human rights and the Constitution.

Haider also demanded the immediate release of all judges and lawyers, including the Chief Justice Mr. Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhary.

ANI