KARACHI: Govt trying to set up rival judicial system: SBC
KARACHI, April 10: Five more members of the Sindh High Court Bar Association observed a token hunger strike on Tuesday to express the legal fraternity’s resolve to uphold the independence of the judiciary.
Sindh Bar Council member Sathi Mohammad Ishaq and Advocates Naseer Husain Jafri, Khalil Qureshi, Zahoor Shah and Mohammad Mushfiq Ahmad said their struggle would continue till the independence of the judiciary was restored to enable it to dispense justice without fear or favour.
They were felicitated by Supreme Court Bar Association president Muneer A. Malik, Pakistan Bar Council members Rasheed A. Razvi and Yasin Khan Azad, SBC vice-chairman Mohammad Amin Lakhani, Balochistan Bar Council vice-chairman Hashim Kakar, former federal ministers N.D. Khan and Nawaz Khan Marwat and SBC members M. Mustafa Lakhani, Mohammad Aqil, Salahuddin Gandapur and Noor Naz Agha.
Addressing lawyers in the SHCBA bar room earlier, Mustafa Lakhani criticised the Islamabad Lal Masjid administration for trying to set up a rival judicial system. Except for the colour, there was nothing common between black coats and black ‘burqas’ and the government attempt to mix up the two was bound to fail, he said.
Our Reporter adds: Various associations of the lawyers’ fraternity yesterday re-affirmed their resolve to continue their protest.
Ten members of Karachi Bar Association (KBA) observed a token hunger strike in the city courts. They were Aslam Dahri, Abdul Karim Chandio, Abdul Khaliq Junejo, Ghulam Nabi Magsi,Mirza Salim Akhtar, Atta Mohammad, Abdul Hakim Jakhroo, Niaz Hussain Bhutto, Riaz Ahmed Samo and Abdul Sattar Leghari. Lawyers in the city courts stayed away from courts proceeding from 10.30am to 11.30am and held a general body meeting in front of the city courts. Member Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Abul Inam, Aaqil Lodhi, member of Sindh Bar Council Mehmood-ul-Hasan, KBA President Iftikhar Javaid Qazi, General Secretary Naeem Qureshi, KBA member Shahadat Awan in their speech appreciated the efforts of all members of Karachi Bar Association (KBA) during the campaign which has now entered its second month and said that lawyers in the metropolis had done more than what was decided by the PBC.
The lawyers led by office bearers of PBC, SBC and KBA came out of the city courts and blocked M.A. Jinnah Road for half an hour. The speakers condemned President Musharraf’s action and said lawyers would not hesitate to render any sacrifice. They said the campaign was launched to ensure the judiciary’s independence, and would continue till their demands were accepted. They accused the government of hatching conspiracies to divide lawyers and weaken their campaign.
The lawyers said their future line of action would be decided in a combined meeting of elected representatives of all lawyers’ bodies on April 12 in Islamabad. They vowed to continue their campaign and show their unity and strength on April 13.
President Malir Bar Association (MBA) Zahoor Hussain Mehar said four MBA members observed a token hunger strike. They were Amanullah Lashari, Bashir Ahmed Brohi, Chaudhry Mohammad Aslam and Haji Khan Mashori. He said President Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Munir A.Malik would address MBA members today (Wednesday) at 11am.
