ISLAMABAD, Feb 8: The bar associations of the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi boycotted the civil courts on Friday to protest the government decision of inducting army officials into anti-terrorism courts (ATCs) and baton-charge on lawyers.

The strike call was given by the Punjab Bar Council.

The call for the one-day nationwide strike was given by the Pakistan Bar Council against the decision of the government as well as against the baton-charge of the police on a peaceful rally of lawyers in Lahore this week.

Prior to the decision of the boycott, the IBA held an emergency general body meeting which was addressed by former PML(N) MNA Syed Zafar Ali Shah advocate, PPP leader Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, IBA secretary-general, Tariq Mehmood Jehangiri.

The general body meeting unanimously adopted a resolution moved by a senior member of the bar Chaudhry Mohammad Akram advocate, condemning the decision of the government as well as appointing some junior judges in the supreme court.

The speakers, speaking to the lawyers within the premises of the district courts termed the decision of the government a threat to the independence of judiciary, constitution and the law.

They demanded the government to withdraw the decision terming it as a blatant violation of the judgment of the Supreme Court on the issue of military summary courts, constituted by the previous regime of Mian Nawaz Sharif.

They insisted that the explanations offered by the government for setting up these courts were not valid since “special courts” never proved helpful in enforcing the law.

They also denounced the government’s decision to appoint junior judges in the Supreme Court and termed it a violation of the judgment of the apex court in the judges case.

They observed that only elected representatives of the masses should be allowed to take decisions of such vital national importance.

They warned that if the two decisions are not withdrawn by the government, lawyers community would be compelled to launch a country-wide campaign against it.

All the judicial officers were present in their respective chambers but no lawyer appeared before them. Each judicial officer was supposed to adjudicate over 100 cases on an average and a result of the boycott an estimated 1,000 cases were adjourned for future dates.

Our Rawalpindi Staff Reporter adds: The strike was also observed by the members of Rawalpindi Bar Association and termed the government decision an attempt to abolish the independence of the judiciary in the country.

The anti-terrorism courts will comprise a judge, a judicial magistrate to be nominated by the provincial government and an army officer of the rank of colonel or above, a nominee of the federal government.

They viewed that if the government wants to indict anyone, the two members being the nominees of the provincial and federal government will give their decisions accordingly and the judge would have no option but to announce the ready-made verdict.

The lawyer community fear that these anti-terrorism courts would give verdicts which will be handed down from the GHQ.

The president of Rawalpindi Bar Association, Sardar Asmatullah Khan Niazi talking to Dawn termed the inclusion of an army officer a mockery of judiciary.

He said it is unjustified and in violation of the Constitution. The Supreme Court had issued its judgment in 1998 terming the inclusion of army personnel in civil courts as unconstitutional in Sheikh Liaqat vs federation of Pakistan case.

According to him army has little knowledge about civil courts. They may have expertise in military courts which are simple but have no knowledge of the normal judicial system.

Niazi said these courts should be established on the lines of the accountability courts which are independent and have no army officer.

It seems the government has received orders from the US to establish such courts and try those detained in the name of religious extremism, a lawyer commented.

The lawyer community said inclusion of army personnel in the civil courts will destroy the judiciary as the latter will be answerable to none. The lawyers said they would neither plead cases in such courts nor would they sit on a jury in these courts.

As the lawyers were on strike, no hearing was held in the case of ex-chairman Shafi Sehwani, who was to appear in the accountability court.