September 28, 2007	Friday	Ramazan 15, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Sept 27: Security measures taken by the police to regulate the entry of people into the Election Commission office for filing of nomination papers of the presidential candidates were reduced to shambles by charged lawyers on Thursday.

The lawyers’ procession arrived raising slogans of ‘Go Musharraf go’ and ‘One who is friend to Musharraf is a traitor’ and broke through the police cordon.

SSP Islamabad Dr Naeem Khan, who was overseeing the security procedures, was swept off his feet by the surging crowd, leaving him to vent his anger on the recruits deployed on the occasion.

Three groups of police - recruits in plainclothes, baton- wielding policemen and the elite force personnel - were deployed at the entrance of the building to maintain law and order.

A human chain of unarmed recruits, wearing white shalwar kamiz, was made at the entrance of the Election Commission to body search the lawyers coming from the Supreme Court to submit the papers of Justice (retired) Wajihuddin Ahmad.

Another chain of policemen in riot gear was deployed behind the recruits to stop the lawyers from entering the building unchecked. Barricades were also laid down behind the two chains of policemen.

The lawyers, including Munir A. Malik and Ali Ahmad Kurd, were intercepted by the recruits under the supervision of SSP Khan, who asked them to pass the security chains in a queue after body search.

But the security chains were dispersed from the middle, when the lawyers pushed them back, and the SSP was the first who left his place. Later, another group of lawyers along with some mediapersons broke the security lines of the police from the right side and succeeded to enter the premises.

As a result, the SSP lost his control and burst at some of the recruits holding them responsible for letting the lawyers proceed ahead. He directed the recruits’ incharge to note the names of those responsible for action.

Tears appeared in the eyes of one of the recruits when he was insulted by his seniors in front of his colleagues and scores of other people.

RAWALPINDI: Lawyers on Thursday observed a ‘black day’ in protest against the filing of nomination papers of Gen Musharraf in the Election Commission, in a bid to re-elect him as president of Pakistan.

“It is stark violation of the constitution,” they protested and boycotted court proceedings both at the high court bench and district courts. The courts gave deserted and eerie look in the absence of the lawyers dressed in black.

The courts gave new dates to the litigants without any legal proceedings and cases of Lal Masjid’s former administrator Maulana Aziz, Shazia Mubashir (allegedly involved in suicide attacks on the president) and cases of other suspected suicide bombers were deferred for a week.

“It was not only the strike of the lawyers that caused trouble to the litigants, barricading of different roads by the Punjab police also barred them from reaching the courts,” a citizen said.

Jail authorities could not bring under-trail prisoners to the district courts.

Black flag was hoisted on the bar building and the lawyers present there wore black arm-ribbons. A large numbers of lawyers marched towards the Punjab House chanting anti-government and pro-democracy slogans.

Police tried to stop them at the Kutcheri chowk but after arguments between police officials and representatives of the lawyers, the later were allowed to proceed. The lawyers returned to courts after protest of an hour.

Meanwhile, the lawyers held a protest meeting where speakers castigated the city administration for blocking city road that caused great inconvenience to students and office-going people in the morning. They warned the government that any such move in future would be challenged by the legal fraternity. They vowed to resist any unconstitutional move of the establishment.

ATTOCK: The lawyers of Attock district observed complete strike on the call of the Pakistan Bar Council in protest against submission of nominations by Gen Musharraf.

The lawyers did not attend court proceedings throughout the day, saying that Gen Musharraf’s re-election for the second term from the same assemblies was unconstitutional.

While talking to the media, president District Bar Association Rana Afsar Ali Khan and member Supreme Court Bar Association Sheikh Ahsanuddin and other lawyers said that the legal fraternity will continue its struggle till the end of military dictatorship in the country.

“The rulers must go now,” they said, adding that the army should go back to the barracks in the national interest.

They commended the role played by the civil society, media and political parties for extending their support in the fist phase of the lawyers movement that reinstated the chief justice of the country and hoped for further support for the restoration of democracy in Pakistan.

TAXILA: The legal fraternity of Taxila, Wah Cantonment and Hassanabdal observed complete strike and boycotted the courts to mark their protest against the re-election of Gen Musharraf.

The strike call was given by the Lawyers National Action Committee and Pakistan Bar Council. Although the courts were open on Thursday but no lawyer appeared before them. However, the courts carried out their routine work.

On the occasion, the speakers vowed to oppose Gen Musharraf’s re-election and urged the lawyers to maintain unity among their ranks.