LAHORE - Having completed a year since November 3 PCO, lawyers movement appears to be all set to meet another tough phase. Lock-up of the Courts and loud sloganeering against the ruling elite during two-hour sit-in outside the Governor's House has caused chagrin to the provincial judiciary as well as the Governor of Punjab. Lawyers have faced many vicissitudes in the drive for the reinstatement of Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and the left out of the deposed judges although they had come into action right after March 9, 2007 when Justice Chaudhry had confronted and defied 'dictation' of Gen Musharraf and won heart of the lawyers and public who vented their fury against dictatorial rule by launching a strong movement and found solution to all problems in a bold judiciary of which Justice Chaudhry had become an icon in their view. The legal fraternity came across hard time right after March 9 as their protest marches on the roads all over the country were sought to be controlled by means of police baton but they continued their journey defeating all odds. In the City, the police while pursuing a 'highly brutal' action against lawyers even violated the sanctity of the LHC premises wherein they freely lobbed teargas shells to counter the stone-pelting lawyers. Even a more outrageous act was performed on November 5, 2007 when the police mercilessly thrashed the black-coats in the Bars and arrested hundreds of them and sent them to jails in the far-flung areas. Whether it was month of March or Nov, 2007, PPP strongly stood by the lawyers and their cause of independent judiciary. PPP lawyers and leaders voiced in unison 'go-Musharraf-go' so that Musharraf a major impediment in the way of judges reinstatement might go. After elections lawyers attached great hopes with the PPP govt for achieving of the goal, but they felt themselves cheated after the rulers had not kept their commitment and found them adopting another way of reinstating judges, which negated their principal demand, that is reinstatement of Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. According to observers, that was the reason lawyers slogans were now turning into 'go-Zardari-go' for they did not see much difference between Musharraf and him about reinstatement of Justice Chaudhry. Though a number of PPP affiliated lawyers are not giving their heart to the movement at present, a section of them does support the movement and blame the PPP leaders for serving their own interests. A clear cleavage exists in the legal fraternity on the question of movement, yet a sizeable number of lawyers is staunchly supporting the same and is not ready to submit. Specially after victory of Ali Ahmad Kurd as President SCBA, the movement is expected to rejuvenate and come up with more force in the time to come. The deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, who has also made some astonishing disclosures about the alleged efforts by General(r) Musharraf to influence four important decisions of the SC. Now his US visit is round the corner to address the legal fraternity as well as Pakistani community. During his visit to American Bars and universities, where Justice Chaudhry will also receive Medal of Freedom from Harvard University as third person in its 360-year history, legal fraternity at home is sure to get boost while the people abroad getting a direct interaction with him will have a better chance to understand his view point. In the opinion of the senior lawyers, the movement is surging to a new height but that is not in the liking of the govt ,however, it would not like to rush to end it by resorting to a crackdown. Right now two Bigs are trying to catch the lawyers. The Punjab Governor Salman Taseer has directed the IG police to end up the 'drama' lawyers have staged outside the Governor's House while the LHC has initiated suo moto proceedings against the lock up of the courts in Lahore. The lawyers on the other hand are apparently prepared to meet any situation, but the question striking the mind is, whether any confrontation would serve the national cause.