April 04, 2007	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 15, 1428

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RAWALPINDI, April 3: A peculiar atmosphere prevailed in the district courts on Tuesday after almost all lawyers went to the Supreme Court building in Islamabad to express solidarity with “non-functional” Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

Mr Chaudhry attended the third hearing in the presidential reference moved to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC).

The lawyers were acting on the call given by the District Bar Association in which they were asked to accompany the chief justice and observe a complete strike.

Though the police produced people on remand for further litigation, only new dates were given for the next hearings. Clerks working for the lawyers facilitated the clients in getting new dates.

A young lawyer, Saqlain Haider, talking to this reporter said they (lawyers) had resolved to continue exhibiting solidarity with Mr Chaudhry by staging protests and strikes.

He said independence of the judiciary could only be ascertained by the government by withdrawing “the mala fide reference against the CJ.”

Replying to a question, the advocate said they were mindful of the problems being faced by litigants, but to ensure impartial justice for common people in future, it was incumbent upon the lawyers community to stand by the CJ.

TAXILA: On the call of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), the lawyers’ community in Taxila and Wah Cantonment boycotted the court proceedings on Tuesday to protest the presidential reference against Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

Lawyers led by Taxila Bar Association President Muneer Khan took out a rally to express their resentment towards the March 9 action of President Pervez Musharraf.

Mr Khan said: “The government is guilty of blunders that have weakened the civil institutions.”

Meanwhile, due to the strike a large number of people, especially litigants and under trail prisoners (UTPs), suffered a lot as no judicial proceedings took place.

Local transporters refused to join the Tuesday’s strike called by opposition parties.

ATTOCK: Lawyers in Attock district also observed complete strike to condemn the suspension of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and to back the ongoing protest campaign.

Despite setting up of police checkposts at a number of places, a large number of lawyers travelled to Islamabad to join their colleagues who had assembled outside the Supreme Court building.

CHAKWAL: The lawyers’ fraternity in Chakwal also boycotted the courts, causing great hardships to the litigants.

The District Bar Association held an emergency meeting in which speakers spoke critical of President Pervez Musharraf and termed his reference against Mr Chaudhry “an unlawful and unconstitutional act”. Later, they also took out a procession from the district courts.

MURREE: Lawyers in Murree continued with their protests on Tuesday to show solidarity with the suspended chief justice.

Members of the Murree Bar Association marched on the Mall Road from GPO Chowk to Marhaba Chowk and then back.

The bar president, Nazir Abbasi, said the present military government was damaging all the institutions including judiciary.

The protesters vowed to keep protesting till the reinstatement of Mr Chaudhry.