June 11, 2003	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 10, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, June 10: The Supreme Court administration, on the orders of the SC Chief Justice, have sealed the offices of the Supreme Court Bar Association located in the SC building.

The decision to seal the offices was taken on Monday when the lawyers, on being denied entry into the Supreme Court premises, held their convention on the road outside, and criticized the judiciary for its role during the last three years.

On Tuesday, when the lawyers reached the Supreme Court, they found that the SCBA offices on the first floor of Block No 1 were sealed and policemen were standing to tell the lawyers not to go there.

The SC administration affixed the order of sealing the SCBA office on the wall outside, which read: “The Chief Justice has been pleased to direct that accommodation given to the SCBA on the first floor of the Block No 1, be immediately taken back and sealed until further orders.”

The sealed offices included a library, bar room No 2, and office of the SCBA president.

Lawyers who otherwise were not very supportive of the current movement for the revival of the Constitution were also angry at the decision.

Advocate Habib Wahabul Kheiri said he was not a supporter of the protesting lawyers, but he found the decision to seal the SCBA offices in bad taste.

He said that nobody could be stopped from protesting against any decision, and the lawyers were justified in protesting if they believed the Constitution was being wronged.

He said it showed there was lack of respect for the fundamental rights of the citizens enshrined in the Constitution.

The SCBA bar room on the ground floor is open.