June 22, 2007	Friday	Jamadi-us-Sani 06, 1428

LAHORE, June 21: Lawyers will strike in Punjab on Saturday (tomorrow) and will not appear in courts in protest against registration of a case against 100 lawyers in Sahiwal. The lawyers were booked for taking out a torch-bearer procession to express solidarity with Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and transfer of cases from Sahiwal to other cities.

Punjab Bar Council Vice-Chairman Tariq Javed Warraich said in a statement issued on Thursday the movement launched by lawyers for the independence of the judiciary and restoration of rule of law would not be stopped as a result of implication of lawyers in frivolous cases or transfer of cases from the courts of one city to another.

He demanded cases against lawyers be withdrawn and the decision of transfer of cases from Sahiwal to other cities be revoked.