KARACHI: Eight women members of SHC sit on hunger strike
By A Reporter
KARACHI, April 03: The lawyers’ fraternity in Sindh High Court, city courts, labour courts, anti-terrorist courts, and courts of Malir district observed a complete strike and stayed away from courts proceedings on Tuesday against the suspension of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.
Eight women members of Sindh High Court Bar Association (SHCBA) observed a token hunger strike in the SHC. Those who sat on hunger strike were Shanaz Ishtiaq, Tayyaba Jabeen, Zahida Khatoon, Syeda Siddiqui, Rohela Nazeer, Shaheen, Naima Nizam and Jamila Siraj.
Ten members of Karachi Bar Association also observed a token hunger strike in the city courts. Those who sat on hunger strike were M.A. Qadri, Mohammad Hanif Kashmiri, Chaudhry Mohammad Iqbal, Mashood Ahmed, Uzair Mohammad Khan, Nasir Rizwan Khan, Tariq Mir, Sheikh Mohammad Suleman, Syed Zaki Zaidi and Islamuddin Ayubi. The KBA members came out in a procession from the city courts at 10am and blocked M.A. Jinnah Road for 20 minutes. The procession marched on Hassan Ali Effendi Road to Shahrah-e-Liaquat and entered the Sindh High Court building via Court Road. Traffic remained suspended for some time on the roads they marched on.
A combined general body meeting of SHCBA, KBA, Sindh Bar Council, Pakistan Bar Council and Malir Bar Association was held in premises of the SHC. The SHCBA President Abrar Hasan, KBA President Iftikhar Javaid Qazi, General Secretary Naeem Qureshi and KBA member Naheed Afzaal in their speeches stressed the need that lawyers should maintain their unity and be ready for a long term campaign for the acceptance of their demands. The members of different lawyers’ associations led by their leaders came out on the Court Road and staged a protest demonstration in front of the Sindh Assembly building. They also observed a sit-in on the road and raised slogans against Chief Minister Sindh Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim. They also held portraits of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the national flag, and banners inscribed with slogans condemning the CJP’s suspension. The protestors also carried black flags and wore black arms bands. The protestors went to the Supreme Court of Pakistan Karachi Registry, where a tanker was parked in front of the SC main gate and police personnel were deployed to stop lawyers from entering the building. The lawyers hoisted black flags on the walls and raised slogans against the administration.
The SHCBA President Abrar Hasan in his speech said the lawyers’ peaceful march on the roads was a part of their campaign for reinstatement of CJP, independence of judiciary and protection of basic rights of the masses. He said that CJP’s suspension was unconstitutional and illegal. He said that CJP was not only suspended, but he was house arrested and his children were also denied meetings with their father for five days which, he said, was sheer violation of the basic human rights.
He said that people were expecting justice from the judiciary, but the judiciary itself was not independent in the country, adding that like past the lawyers would continue their struggle for independence of judiciary and provision of justice to the people. He said the appointment of acting CJP from ‘back door’ was illegal and there was no room for acting CJP in presence of CJP. He said that the judges should also play their role for independence of judiciary and should not be silent spectators. The KBA President and General Secretary Iftikhar Javaid Qazi and Naeem Qureshi also condemned the administration for closing the gates of SC Karachi Registry and said that the rulers had panicked due to lawyers’ unity and thousands of lawyers joining processions.
The protestors held a rally in front of the press club, which was addressed by member Pakistan Bar Council Yaseen Azad, member Supreme Court Bar Association Khwaja Naveed, members Sindh Bar Council (SBC) Salahuddin Gandapur, KBA President Iftikhar Javaid Qazi and General Secretary Naeem Qureshi, President and General Secretary of Malir Bar Association Zahoor Hasan Mahar and Abdul Naeem respectively, Fahim Niaz Siddiqui, and Aqil Lodhi.
The lawyers pledged to continue their campaign till the CJP’s reinstatement, independence of the judiciary and re-instatement of rule of law in the country. They urged the president to withdraw the reference which would immediately stop the unrest among the people. The lawyers warned if their demands were not met they would not hesitate to render any sacrifices for upholding the judiciary’s dignity. The lawyers then returned to SHC and dispersed peacefully.
KARACHI, April 03: The lawyers’ fraternity in Sindh High Court, city courts, labour courts, anti-terrorist courts, and courts of Malir district observed a complete strike and stayed away from courts proceedings on Tuesday against the suspension of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.
