KARACHI - A large number of workers belonging to different political parties including the APDM, Sunni Tehreek, PML-N and Awami Tehreek besides lawyers and the representatives of civil society accorded a warm welcome to deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry on his arrival in the metropolis on Tuesday. They were carrying pictures of the deposed CJP and their party flags while chanting slogans in favour of Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and against President Pervez Musharraf. But owing to the indifference of the leading political parties, including the ruling PPP and ANP, the lawyers' fraternity failed to bring out a large number of the people to welcome CJ Iftikhar Chaudhry on his arrival in the metropolis. It took four hours of deposed CJ's convoy to reach its destination. Compared to May 12 2006, a very low number of political parties and activists of the lawyers' fraternity participated in the welcome rally of the deposed Chief Justice as only workers of Sunni Tehreek (ST) and Pukhtoon Khawa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP) were present on the occasion. When the deposed CJP reached the Karachi Airport, thousands of people, including lawyers, political workers and representatives of civil society, labour unions, students and others non-political organisations were present there to accord a befitting reception to their hero. When Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry came out of the airport terminal, the showered rose petals on him while the security personal managed to keep them at a distance from his vehicle. The participants chanted slogans for reinstatement of judges, free judiciary and restoration of genuine democracy. Supreme Court Bar Association President Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan and other judges, who refused to take oath under PCO, including Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed, Justice Sarmad Jalal Usmani, Justice Gulzar, Justice Maqbool besides a large number of senior lawyers were accompanying the deposed Chief Justice. The workers of political parties including Jamat-e-Islami, PML-N, Sunni Tehreek, PKMAP, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf besides the office-bearers of People's Labour Bureau, People's Lawyers' Forum, labour unions and students organisations present on the occasion while carrying their party flags. However, prominent leaders of the mainstream political parties were not present on the occasion with the only exception of Saleem Zia PML-N, HRCP General Secretary Iqbal Haider and JI Karachi Chief Mohammad Hussain Mehnthi. Activists of Sunni Tehreek, JI, Tehreek-e-Insaf, PKMAP and others had set up several reception camps at various places leading to the Karachi Airport. Tight security arrangement were made from Karachi Airport to the hotel where Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry would stay besides the deployment of heavy police contingents at the route of the convoy. The traffic from Drig Road to Shahrahae Faisal was diverted to University Road in order to facilitate the passing of the convoy while other roads including Baloch Colony Bridge, FTC Bridge, Dawood Pota Road and Fatima Jinnah Road were also blocked for all kinds vehicles. Business activities across the route of Justice Iftikhar's convoy remained suspended while some shopkeepers of Shahrahae Faisal alleged that they were asked by the police to shut down their business on the occasion. Sukkur Bar president, Advocate Imdad Ali Awan died of cardiac arrest while driving the car of Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. He suffered a sudden and massive heart attack and was rushed to the Agha Khan Hospital in a critical condition but could not survive.