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 for two hours and was adjourned until Friday 16 March. Justice Chaudhry issued a four-page press release denouncing the moves against him, saying that neither President Musharraf nor the SJC had the authority to prevent him from working. He also reported that his telephones at home had been disconnected and vehicles confiscated. CJP Justice Iftikhar requested that because his lawyers were not allowed to meet him by the government, the hearing should be adjourned till 26 March 2007. SJC did not entertain it and the next date of hearing was announced in a press release to be 21 March 2007