KARACHI: Lawyers announce total boycott today: Attack on media flayed
By A Reporter
KARACHI, March 16: The Supreme Court Bar Association expressed dismay over the treatment meted to Chief Justice of Pakistan and condemned the manner in which he was humiliated.
The SCBA also condemned the atrocities of police and use of security forces against lawyers. It asked all democratic forces across the world to intervene in this crisis and play their role for restoration of rule of law.
The President Supreme Court Bar Association, Munir Malik, President Sindh High Court Bar Association Ibrar Hassan, SBC member Aqil Lodhi, President KBA Iftikhar Javed Qazi, Chairman Executive Committee of Sindh Bar Council Fazal Qader Memon, Vice Chairman SBC Mohammad Amin Lakhani, in separate statements condemned the police action against journalists in Islamabad and asked the federal information minister to step down. The lawyers also demanded a judicial inquiry.
Joint Secretary Sindh High Court Bar Association Ahmed Nafees Usmani and Member Habibur Rehman sat on a token hunger strike on Friday and boycotted court proceedings for one hour. The token hunger strike and boycott of court proceedings are part of the legal fraternity’s against the suspension of Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry. The SHCBA members Shaukat Hayat and Irfan Siddiqui will sit on a token hunger strike today (Saturday).
Seven members of Karachi Bar Association sat on a token hunger strike on Friday. They were Vice President KBA Qadir Khan, Librarian Mohammad Jiwani, Managing Committee Members Imran Khan, Uzma Rafiq, Shahbaz, Saeed Qureshi and Zulfiqar Solangi.
The KBA’s Managing Committee in an emergency meeting decided to observe a complete boycott of courts proceedings on Saturday to condemn the police action against a newsmen in Islamabad. A general body meeting of the KBA will be held at Shuhdai Punjab Hall at 11am to decide on a comprehensive protest movement.
Members Managing Committee Abdul Hafeez Baloch, K.K. Javed, Mohammad Sakhi Ghazali,Suhail Jabbar, Adil Khan, Jamshed Ahmed Shaikh, Khairun Nisa, Abida Peven Channer, Salim Kairio and Imran Mohammad Iqbal will sit on a token hunger strike today.
During the hour long boycott of courts proceedings, lawyers gathered in front of the city courts and raised slogans in favour of the CJP and condemned his suspension. Leaders of different political parties and prominent lawyers visited the city courts and expressed solidarity with the protesting lawyers. Those who visited the city courts include: Mushtaq Awan; an NPP leader, Mohammad Bakhsh Lashari of PPPP.
Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Makhdoom Amin Fahim of PPP, Mumtaz Ali Bhutto of Sindh National Front and Pakistan Tehrik Insaf chief Imran Khan expressed solidarity and support on telephone, said KBA General Secretary Naeem Qureshi.
Mr Qureshi and Vce President Qadir Khan will represent the KBA in the law convention to be held in Lahore today (Saturday). SBC Vice President Mohammad Amin Lakhani will also participate in the convention.
PPP CONDEMNS: The Pakistan People’s Party has said the police action on the office of a TV channel in Islamabad was an incident of state terrorism and a well-planned attack on press freedom.
PPP Sindh President Syed Qaim Ali Shah condemned the attack by policemen on the Islamabad office of GEO News, damage to the office and brutal torture on staff, including women.
He said the unlawful act proved that the country was under the dictatorial rule where people had no rights.
KARACHI, March 16: The Supreme Court Bar Association expressed dismay over the treatment meted to Chief Justice of Pakistan and condemned the manner in which he was humiliated.
