July 24, 2007	Tuesday	Rajab 08, 1428

PESHAWAR, July 23: Lawyers observed Yaum-i-Tashakur (thanksgiving day) here on Saturday and vowed to continue their struggle till the removal of President Gen Pervez Musharraf.

On the call of the All Pakistan Lawyers Committee, the lawyers here under the aegis of Peshawar High Court Bar Association and Peshawar District Bar Association (PDBA) arranged different events including offering special prayers, processions and other celebrations.

A large number of lawyers took out a procession from the High Court.

Another group of lawyers had arranged a vehicular procession which passed through different main roads. Banners carrying slogans in favour of the chief justice and against General Musharraf were displayed all over the vehicles.

When the procession reached the Hasthnagri bazaar a rumour spread that the assemblies had been dissolved. The rumour spread like jungle fire and the participants started returning to the court.

When they reached the High Court there were more rumours that ‘President Musharraf has been arrested by the army’ and of a ‘suicide attack in Islamabad’.

It was later discovered that all these stories were mere rumours.

During all these festivities a few differences also emerged between two groups of lawyers over the beating of drums and dancing.

The PDBA’s president Maulana Shamul Haq objected to music and dancing and requested his fellow lawyers not to beat drums saying it was a thanksgiving day and they should only offer prayers and take out procession.

However, a group of jubilant lawyers ignored his request and continued with drums beating resulting in an exchange of harsh words.

The PHCBA’s President Lateef Afridi intervened at this point and pacified both the groups.

Mr Afridi said that there should be no differences among them on such petty issues as they had to achieve a gigantic goal of the removal of Gen Musharraf.

The gathering was also addressed by senior advocates including Qazi Mohammad Anwer, Barrister Masood Kausar, Sattar Khan and others.

Our Haripur correspondent adds: To celebrate the reinstatement of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry the lawyers of the Haripur Bar Association took out a procession.

They were holding placards and marched on different city roads chanting slogans against the government and President Musharraf.

They also distributed sweets on the occasion.

The procession, which remained peaceful, ended at district bar hall where Quran Khuwani was held for the departed souls of all those who were killed during the judicial crisis.

Speaking to the lawyers, Supreme Court Bar Association Vice-President Saeed Akhtar Khan termed the Supreme Court verdict a milestone in the entire judicial history and said that the decision would help bring about true democracy in the country and supremacy of the Constitution.

Our Abbottabad correspondent adds: PHCBA Abbottabad Circuit President Tehmas Khan Jadoon lauded the role of media during the four-month struggle of the lawyers.

He said this while speaking as a chief guest at a reception arranged by the PHCBA on Monday in honour of the print and electronic media persons.

Mr Jadoon remarked that PHCBA Abbottabad Circuit would follow the directives of the supreme body of lawyers, the Supreme Court Bar Association, and added that lawyers of Hazara would continue their struggle for the rule of law and revival of democracy in the country.

Earlier, PHCBA Senior Vice-President Javed Qureshi in his speech praised the role of media during the crisis.