RAWALPINDI, May 31: Justice (retired) Malik Abdul Qayyum, counsel for the federation in the Supreme Court in Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry’s case, did not turn up in the meet-the-press programme of Rawalpindi-Islamabad Press Club on Thursday.

A large number of mediapersons were kept waiting for the senior lawyer who did not even inform the press club office- bearers about his unavailability.

When the mediapersons tried to contact Mr Qayyum on his cellphone, there was no response. The programme was scheduled after the lawyer had consented to appear before the media.

Press club secretary Afzal Butt said it belied government’s claim that the media was giving more coverage to the protesting lawyers and opposition parties.