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RAWALPINDI, Oct 1: The District Bar Association Rawalpindi on Monday observed a protest day to condemn police brutality against lawyers and mediapersons in Islamabad on September 29.
Hundreds of lawyers joined a rally that started from the district courts and culminated at the Rawalpindi Press Club, where they expressed solidarity with the mediapersons.
The participants of the rally chanted anti-government and anti-police slogans.
Interestingly, when the rally reached near Marrir Hassan intersection, students of a government school chanted pro-lawyers slogans and made victory signs.
Addressing the protesters in Liaquat Bagh, the lawyers representatives said state officials unleashing terror on lawyers and journalists must realize that they could be held accountable for their misconduct. They praised the efforts of the mediapersons for fearlessly reporting the event and said the lawyers community would stand by them in all difficult times.
They also demanded immediate removal of the responsible officials of the capital including IGP Morvet Ali Shah.
ISLAMABAD: Lawyers in the federal capital observed strike and took out a rally to condemn the incident of September 29.
The lawyers of Islamabad district courts boycotted courts proceedings which increased the miseries of litigants, as their cases could not be heard for the third day.
The lawyers kept coming to the Supreme Court in groups and chanted slogans against the government. They demanded action against the responsible police officials for thrashing the protesting lawyers.
ATTOCK: In Attock district, lawyers observed complete strike and boycotted court proceedings in protest against the police highhandedness.
Talking to local newsmen, the lawyers termed the police action inhuman and said the government had failed to ensure fundamental rights of people.
They commended the role played by the civil society and the media during the first phase of lawyers movement and hoped that they would extend their full support to the lawyers’ ongoing struggle against dictatorship.
Meanwhile, mediapersons in Attock have hailed Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry’s suo motu action against the deputy commissioner, IGP and SSP Islamabad.
“Such prompt action of the apex court has provided relief to the journalists community in the country,” they said.
TAXILA: Lawyers in Taxila and Wah Cantt also boycotted the courts and observed a black day on Monday.
They also took out a rally and chanted slogans against President Musharraf and the government.
The rally participants after passing through Faisal Shaheed Road assembled at the tehsil courts, where the lawyers’ representatives condemned the ruthless use of state force against their community members and demanded exemplary punishment for those responsible.
Meanwhile, litigants suffered the most as the lawyers boycotted court proceedings for the third day on Monday.
Litigants especially those coming from the far-flung areas were given new dates for the hearing of their cases. Maqbool Shah, a resident of the Khrrum village said, “We suffered a lot when the Chief Justice of Pakistan was suspended in March. My minor case has been in the court for the last two years. I cannot see an end to the ongoing crisis.”
A woman, Musarrat, said, “My case has been adjourned. I have come with my two children to appear before the court. We are suffering due to these strikes. Other litigants appealed to the lawyers community to observe symbolic or partial strike instead of completely boycotting courts.
GUJAR KHAN: The lawyers in Jhelum and Gujar Khan brought out protest rallies against the police action and boycotted court proceedings.
Raja Tanveer Akhtar Advocate, former president Gujar Khan Bar Association, led a rally which marched on the GT Road up to the main chowk in the city.
In Jhelum, the lawyers also took out a rally led by Raja Farooq Raza Advocate. The protesters raised slogans against the government and condemned the police brutality.
