Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry blockade in Lahore en route to Islamabad in the night between 15 and 16 March 2009. A few hours later, on the morning of 16 March 2009, the prime minister of Pakistan restored Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry as chief justice of Pakistan through an executive order, after which the opposition agreed to stop the "long march". Chaudhry surprised the whole country when he suspended the privatisation of Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) on the plea of the PSM workers' union. It did not merely embarrass the government but jeopardised the whole privatisation process. Chaudhry, who was heading the bench, observed that the
Suspension of Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry that some lawyers are in contact with the government. He also confessed that the lawyers' bodies are much organised on the chief justice issue. Strict security measures have been taken in Islamabad on the hearing of presidential reference against non-functional Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry here on Friday. Additional contingents of law enforcement forces were deployed in Islamabad whereas FC put on stand- by position. Strict surveillance also carried out at entry and exit routes of the city. A separate traffic plan has been prepared to maintain traffic flow in the capital, however, traffic jam was reported in different areas