March 15, 2007	Thursday	Safar 25, 1428

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RAWALPINDI, March 14: Lawyers of the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi continued their protest and boycotted courts on Wednesday. More than 200 lawyers staged a demonstration at Kutchery Chowk on the call of the Rawalpindi District Bar Association.

The protesting lawyers, led by the district bar president, took to The Mall. However they were pushed back by the riot police deployed there in large numbers.

Earlier, speaking at a meeting, the lawyers termed President Musharraf’s move unconstitutional.

Routine legal activities in all courts of the district remained suspended for the third consecutive day, creating problems for the litigants.

A black flag was hoisted on the roof of the bar’s office as a sign of protest while lawyers wore black bands around their arms.

The lawyers also announced that they would stage a token hunger strike on the district court premises from Thursday and continue it till Saturday.

The lawyers pledged to continue their boycott of the courts on Friday.

Similarly, the Islamabad Bar Association also staged a demonstration against the suspension of the chief justice of Pakistan on Wednesday.

Hundreds of lawyers of the Islamabad Bar Association gathered at the district courts at around 11:30am and expressed their solidarity with the suspended Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

The protesters carried placards inscribed with slogans against the government, president, information and law ministers and also Naeem Bukhari.

Speaking on the occasion, Islamabad Bar Association President Haroonur Rasheed, former president Ashraf Gujjar, former secretary Wajid Ali Gilani and member executive committee Mazhar Ali condemned Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durani and Minister for Law and Justice Wasi Zafar on the issue of the chief justice. They also criticised Naeem Bukhari for writing an open letter to the chief justice.

The protesters later gathered in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office, where they raised anti-government slogans. The protesters decided that they would go to Supreme Court on Friday, the day the chief justice appears before the Supreme Judicial Council.

Our correspondent from Gujar Khan add: Lawyers in Gujar Khan and Chakwal on Wednesday continued with their protest against, what they termed, unconstitutional and immoral action taken by President Pervez Musharraf against Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

The protesting lawyers in Gujar Khan held a meeting in the bar room where they condemned the presidential reference.

It also demanded that the Punjab Bar Council should cancel the license/membership of GBA President Hamid Raza Chaudhry.