November 05, 2007	Monday	Shawwal 23, 1428

LAHORE, Nov 4: Bar associations have announced a complete boycott of courts on Monday (today) against the imposition of “martial law” and removal of judges through “unconstitutional” Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO).

“The lawyers would boycott court proceedings and take out a rally on The Mall,” said Lahore High Court Bar Association secretary Sarfraz Cheema while talking to Dawn.

At a news conference at the Lahore Press Club on Sunday, the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) office-bearers appealed to the lawyers across the country not to appear before the judges, who took oath under the PCO.

“There was no justification for emergency, which in essence was martial law. It was unconstitutional, unlawful and unethical,” said SCBA vice-president Ghulam Nabi Bhatti.

He said under Article 232 of the Constitution, only the president was empowered to impose emergency, provided such a situation prevailed in the country. An external threat of aggression, war or a complete breakdown of law and order in the country could warrant imposition of emergency.

“Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, who was removed through an unconstitutional measure, is still the chief justice of Pakistan.”

He said it was unfortunate that four judges of the Supreme Court took oath under the PCO when their chief justice had already declared illegal the imposition of emergency.

“The decision taken by the eight-member SC bench is still valid and the four judges, who took oath under the PCO is unconstitutional.”

Bhatti said lawyers would evolve a strategy to deal with the martial law in the meeting of the Joint Action Committee in Islamabad on Monday (today).

He said representatives of the Pakistan Bar Council, SCBA and all provincial bars would mull ways to deal with martial law.

To a question, he said the lawyers would invite all democratic forces, including political parties, to launch struggle against the regime.

He said SCBA president Aitzaz Ahsan, former president Munir A Malik, Hamid Khan advocate, Hafiz Abdul Rehman Ansari and others were arrested.

He demanded of the government to lift emergency, restore independence of judiciary and media and release all lawyers.

He said the SC judges, who did not take oath under the PCO, including Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday, were being kept under house arrest.

Meanwhile, Lahore Bar Association president Syed Muhammad Shah in a press conference announced a complete boycott of courts and a protest rally.

He said a general house meeting would be held at 10:30am and later lawyers would start marching towards the Lahore High Court.