LAHORE, Sept 6: Thin attendance at a rally, partial boycott of court proceedings in the city and conflicting statements by representatives of different lawyers’ bodies about their anti-Musharraf movement show that the lawyers’ famous post-March 9 unity and enthusiasm is over.

Thursday was the first day of the second phase of lawyers’ anti-Musharraf drive as the lawyers’ national action committee had decided on Sept 2 in Islamabad to launch the drive from Sept 6.

The Lahore Bar Association (LBA) boycotted court proceedings partially and took out a rally from Aiwan-i-Adl to the Lahore High Court (LHC) building in protest against General Pervez Musharraf’s re-election’.

The Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) did the business as usual except for a few lawyers who followed the strike call.

About 300 to 400 lawyers attended the LBA rally chanting “Go Musharraf go”, and ”deal not acceptable at any cost”.

Lawyers dispersed after reaching the main gate of the LHC building, where the LHCBA was to join them. But to their dismay, only a few LHCBA lawyers emerged from the LHC building to join them. LHCBA representatives said they had only planned boycott of court proceedings and not a rally.

Earlier, LHCBA President Ahsan Bhoon told the general house that they represented a democratic institution and did not take any dictation from outsiders regarding their decisions.

“Whenever we initiate a movement, we will take it to its logical end,” he said.

A lawyer, who refused to be named, said both bars had taken up different lines. He said as Mr Bhoon was affiliated with the Pakistan People’s Party, he opposed taking out the anti-Musharraf rally.

LBA President Syed Muhammad Shah, addressing the general house prior to the rally, said lawyers would not accept any “deal” between a political party and the government. He said they would follow the national action committee’s call to boycott courts and hold rallies against Gen Musharraf.

The house approved a requisition, moved by advocate Ijaz Ahmad Khan, against the government for arresting Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz workers and leaders.

Former LBA president Raja Javed Iqbal said PPP’s talks with the regime for a power-sharing arrangement were against democratic norms because there was no role for a dictator in a democratic set-up.

He said lawyers would not accept Gen Musharraf with or without uniform because he had not only damaged state institutions but the army as well.

Punjab Bar Council Chairman Tariq Javed Warraich said supporting or opposing a political party was a matter of personal opinion. He said a lawyers’ provincial convention on Sept 12 would plan a strategy to oust Gen Musharraf.

South Asia Partnership Director Muhammad Tehsin said civil society along with lawyers would succeed in securing a constitutional and democratic dispensation soon.

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Chairperson Asma Jehangir, Joint Action Committee’s Shahtaj Qizalbash and representatives of Pakistan Yellow Cab Association and Khaksar Tehrik were also present.