LAHORE, Nov 4: Four more judges of the Lahore High Court took oath of their offices under the Provincial Constitutional Order (PCO) on Sunday.

LHC Chief Justice Iftikhar Hussain Chaudhry administered the oath to Justice Abdul Shakoor Paracha, Justice Sardar Mohammad Aslam, Justice Sheikh Hakim Ali and Justice Syed Sajjad Hussain Shah at the high court.

In Karachi, four more judges of the Sindh High Court took an oath under the PCO at the Governor’s House on Sunday, while other four new judges were also reported to have taken the oath.

Justice Mahmood Alam Rizvi, Justice Nadeem Azhar Siddiqui, Justice Ali Sain Dino Metlo and Justice Azizullah Memon renewed their oath under the PCO. The oath was administered by the newly appointed Chief Justice of the SHC, Mohammed Afzal Soomro.

Advocate-General Khawaja Naveed Ahmed, Additional Advocate-General Qazi Khalid, Prosecutor-General Rana Shamim and Abdul Rahman Farooq Pirzada are reported to have been sworn in as the new SHC judges.

In Peshawar, three more judges of the Peshawar High Court took fresh oath under the PC as the Lawyers’ National Action Committee (LNAC) announced that a black day would be observed across the country on Monday against what it called ‘high treason’ by President Pervez Musharraf and three active members of the Peshawar High Court Bar Association were arrested under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance.

Most of the lawyers’ leadership went into hiding to avoid arrest.

The arrested lawyers -- Mohammad Khursheed, Qaiser Rasheed and Mohim Afridi – were sent to Dera Ismail Khan central prison for 30 days. They were picked on Saturday night from their residences.

“We will observe black day on Monday as the proclamation of emergency is nothing but a coup against the judiciary,” said Qazi Mohammad Anwer, chairman of Pakistan Bar Council’s executive committee and member of the LNAC.

Justice Mohammad Raza Khan, Justice Raj Mohammad Khan and Justice Jehanzeb Raheem took oath under the PCO No.1 of 2007. Newly appointed Chief Justice Tallat Qayyum Qureshi administered oath to them.

Of the 13 PHC judges, including Chief Justice Tariq Pervez Khan, nine have taken fresh oath.

Police raided the home of Qazi Anwer in Hayatabad on orders of the NWFP home department that he should not be allowed to address a scheduled press conference at the Peshawar Press Club. However, he had left his residence and was at his office. Police communicated the orders to him at his office.

Throughout the day a large contingent of police remained in front of the press club to stop any person from addressing a press conference against imposition of emergency.

“For all practical reasons this is a martial law against the people and the judiciary,” said Mr Anwer urging the civil society, masses and political parties to join hands with lawyers for trying Gen Musharraf in the people’s court.

Police also raided the homes and offices of PHCBA president Abdul Lateef Afridi, vice-president Mian Abdul Fayyaz, general secretary Ishtiaq Ibrahim and other office-bearers.