KARACHI, June 15: Lawyers on Friday criticised the opposition parties for their failure to play any significant role in the movement for the independence of the judiciary and asked leaders of the political parties to take a principled stand and raise their voice for the rights of people.
They said the independence of the judiciary was not only a need of lawyers, but also of the people at large. They deplored that political parties did not bother to take out processions in Karachi for the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary and restoration of the constitution.
If political parties considered themselves as real representatives of people they were bound to raise their voice for the rights of people, the lawyers said, adding that if politicians were really sincere with their slogans they must come forward and join hands with the lawyers in the struggle for the rule of law.
These views were expressed at a general body meeting of the Sindh High Court Bar Association, which was addressed by Pakistan Bar Council member Senator Sardar Latif Khosa, SHCBA President Abrar Hasan and General Secretary Munir-ur-Rehman, held at the bar room on Friday.
Mr Khosa expressed the hope that President Musharraf could not be re-elected from the present assemblies and if he tried, the members of the opposition parties would tender collective resignations.
“If both the provincial governments of Balochistan and NWFP, opposition senators and Members of the National Assembly come out of the houses, how Musharraf will manage to get himself re-elected,” he remarked.
The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal had extended support to Musharraf in connection with the 17th amendment in the constitution, he said, adding that MMA President Qazi Hussein Ahmed had admitted his mistake, but such admission was of no use now.
He said various issues, including the Legal Framework Order, had been discussed with the opposition parties but it bore no fruit and Musharraf managed to prolong his unconstitutional tenure.
The lawyers said the movement had been going on for the last three months during which they held protest demonstrations, observed courts boycott, hunger strikes, seminars, media conferences and regular meetings even at the cost of their life and properties only for the cause of the judiciary’s independence.
It was high time for politicians to play a positive role, the lawyers said, adding that they must not care for the luxuries or privileges they were entitled to avail, but take decisive steps and raise voice against the dictators who violated the constitution for their own interest.
Meanwhile, lawyers in the City Courts and Malir District Courts observed a complete strike and boycotted the court proceedings to express solidarity with the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz Group).
Karachi Bar Association President Iftikhar Javaid Qazi said the strike call was given by the parties to lodge their protest against the killing of Islami Jamiat-i-Talba leader Syed Wasif Hafeez and PML-N leader Hashmat Bangash.
He said the killing of the two political activists was a continuation of the May 12 mayhem, which was aimed at disturbing the peace of the city. He said both the activists were supporters of the lawyers’ movement.
The lawyers had neither any political agenda nor any personal motive behind the movement, he said, adding that the political parties and the judiciary should also support it for a noble cause. He said it was the first time when lawyers had been campaigning for the independence of the judiciary for three months and if the judiciary did not extend its support it would lose a last chance to protect itself from the influence of dictators.
