June 02, 2007	Saturday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 16, 1428

SARGODHA, June 1: Courts looked deserted on Friday as both the bench and the bar continued their boycott. Lawyers have announced that they will not call off the strike unless Farzana Bashir, civil-cum-judicial magistrate, is transferred.

The court officials adjourned the cases for next dates. District Sessions Court Judge Pervez Ali Chawla called out police, which remained in and around the courts to cope with any eventuality.

Lawyers locked courtroom of the civil judge after forcing her and the staff out when she refused to accommodate a lawyer on Thursday. Senior lawyers expressed their displeasure over the situation and said it might be a planned move to sabotage the movement of the lawyers.

Ms Bashir said she had refused to bow her head before “illegal” demands of some lawyers who wanted her not to send a gang leader of car thieves on judicial custody about whom the investigating officer said he had confessed to stealing 34 cars.