KARACHI, Sept 29: On the directives of the Pakistan Bar Council, lawyers boycotted the legal proceedings in the High Court of Sindh, City Courts and Malir District Courts on Saturday to register their protest against the nomination of General Pervez Musharraf as a candidate for the forthcoming presidential polls.
The judges remained present in their chambers but cases could not be heard in the absence of lawyers. In solidarity with the protesting lawyers, the stalls and shops of stamp vendors and photocopiers remained closed. The lock-up also remained closed as police preferred not to bring the undertrial prisoners to the court.
Attending a general-body meeting of the Karachi Bar Association at the Shuhda-i-Punjab Hall, the lawyers condemned military interference in politics and sought an end to the army’s role in politics. They also condemned the police action against the lawyers and media persons in Islamabad and termed it the worst kind of state terrorism.
KBA President and Sindh Bar Council member Iftikhar Javaid Qazi said the government was bent upon creating rifts in the ranks of the lawyers to suppress the voice of dissent. The lawyers were not seeking their personal interests, but struggling for the supremacy of the constitution and strengthening of the democratic institutions.
He said there was no need for disappointment over the Supreme Court’s verdict as it was already expected. He asked the lawyers to stand firmly for the rule of law against the military dictator.
Mr Qazi asked KBA members to come to the courts in their professional dress code and ensure their attendance even on the days of court boycott.
KBA General-Secretary Naeem Qureshi said the lawyers would continue their protest for a week by holding general-body meetings while the courts would remain opened till further directives from the leading organisations.
He also moved a resolution against the president of the ruling Muslim League, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, for passing anti-lawyers’ comments.
Sindh Bar Council member Salahuddin Khan Gandapur said lawyers were bound to respect the courts though the recent verdict had disappointed the nation.
“With the reinstatement of Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, people had great expectations from the judiciary but some of the judges and not the entire judiciary disappointed them again,” he said.
He said it was time the army returned to barracks and defend the borders of the country. He said the army must let politicians run the country’s affairs through an elected parliament.
He condemned the arrest and manhandling of the leader of Pakistan Bar Council Ali Ahmed Kurd by police in Islamabad.
SBC member Mehmood-ul-Hassan said the lawyers’ struggle entered its second phase after the judiciary’s independence. The lawyers would not bow down to any pressure, he said.
He pointed out that police had cordoned off the City Courts for the last four days and resorted to atrocities in Islamabad. He said people were observing the role of the bar and the bench very closely and would not forget if any of the two failed to fulfill their prime responsibilities.
SBC members Mohammad Ali Abbasi, Mohammad Aqil, KBA members Shahid Kaleemi, Musawir Ali Khan and Ghulam Nabi Magsi recalled the lawyers’ sacrifices during the movement for the independence of the judiciary and vowed to play the same role for the restoration of true democracy.
They said people could play more important role during the elections to vote to power the most trusted honest and patriotic candidates.
