October 07, 2007	Sunday	Ramazan 24, 1428

MUZAFFARGARH, Oct 6: Various district bar associations observed complete strike on the eve of the presidential election on Saturday whereas the call given by the All Parties Democratic Movement largely went unheeded.

Lawyers of Muzaffargarh city marched from the Kutchery to the main bazaar, wearing black armbands and holding black flags.

DBA President Zubaidul Salaam Khan Shirwani said the election was held at ‘gunpoint’ and the lawyers would force Gen Musharraf to quit as army chief.

On the other hand, all the markets remained closed as traders refused to honour the APDM’s call for protest. The opposition parties blamed the government for coercing the traders to stay aloof.

TOBA TEK SINGH: Lawyers in the district boycotted court proceedings to make their voice heard. On the call of the national and provincial bar councils, lawyers took to the street and hoisted black flag at the local bar council building.

The strike call by the APDM failed to muster support and the markets and business centers remained open. A rally was taken out by the APDM loyalists, which started from Shorkot Road and terminated at Shuhada Chowk on Jhang Road.

SAHIWAL: Shopkeepers turned a deaf ear to the entreaty of the opposition political parties as markets remained open in Sahiwal, Harappa, Noorshah, Qadirabad, Yousafwala, Kassowal, Ghaziabad and Kamir.

Even the opposition parties — the callers of the strike — failed to take out any procession or hold demonstration. Heavy contingents of the police continued marching through the city markets.

Lawyers, on the other hand, observed a black day and hoisted black flag at the bar room.

VEHARI: It was an all lawyers and no APDM show in this part of south Punjab as well as courts wore a deserted look. The lawyers did not turn up at their chambers or courts which meant another tough day for the litigants.

The protesting lawyers took exception to the presidential election and the National Reconciliation Ordinance.

The tehsil municipal administrations of Vehari, Mailsi and Burewala remained active throughout the day and in the evening celebrated the president’s re-election.

BAHAWALPUR: Lawyers’ strike and APDM’s flop show marked the presidential election day. A number of litigants, both local and those coming from the outstation, bore the brunt of the strike by lawyers as they had to return disappointed.