March 18, 2007	Sunday	Safar 28, 1428

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HYDERABAD, March 17: Boycott of courts by lawyers continued across Sindh on Saturday in protest against President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s decision to suspend Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

In Hyderabad, a group of lawyers observed a token hunger strike.

Some lawyers also observed a strike at a camp outside the civil courts building. They wore black armbands and didn’t attend civil and sessions courts.

The Sindh High Court’s Hyderabad bench did not work on Saturday. Judicial magistrates mostly granted remand of accused to police in different cases, otherwise cases were adjourned to different dates by trial courts.

DADU: Lawyers boycotted court proceedings in protest against the action against the Chief Justice and the attack on the offices of a private TV channel in Islamabad.

The lawyers took out a procession from the District Bar Association office up to the local press club, where they burnt black coats.

A lawyer has threatened to set himself ablaze on March 23 if the Chief Justice is not reinstated.

Senior lawyer Niaz Ahmad Panhwar announced that he would set himself ablaze on March 23 outside the local press club if the Chief Justice was not reinstated.

Lawyers also boycotted courts in Sehwan and Kotri.

NAWABSHAH: Members of the District Bar Association, led by its general secretary Ziaul Hassan Lanjar and other lawyers, observed a token hunger strike here.

They also boycotted court proceedings from 10am to 2pm and announced to continue their protest till the reinstatement of the Chief Justice.

THATTA: Members of the DBA boycotted court proceedings and observed a one-hour hunger strike.

Speaking on the occasion, DBA general secretary Syed Aijaz Shah and other lawyers termed the president’s action against the Chief Justice illegal and unconstitutional.

They said the state pressure on lawyers would not suppress them and they would continue their protest till the reinstatement of the Chief Justice.

They also condemned a police attack on the offices of a TV channel and registration of cases against politicians, lawyers and journalists during the protest in Islamabad.

NAUSHAHRO FEROZE: Lawyers in Naushahro Feroze, Moro, Kandiaro and Bhirya continued boycott of court proceedings.

In Naushahro Feroze, lawyers took out a procession from the district court building up to the local press club. They were led by DBA president Arbab Ali Chandio.

They also observed a token hunger strike.