November 13, 2007	Tuesday	Ziqa’ad 02, 1428

GUJRANWALA, Nov 12: The District Bar Association continued boycott of court proceedings on Monday against the imposition of emergency while police kept barricaded all roads leading to the district courts.

Earlier, there were reports that lawyers would appear before lower judiciary from Nov 12 on wards but it did not happen on Monday. The judges had to adjourn cases in the absence of lawyers.

Meanwhile, as many as 59 lawyers who were bailed out by local courts on Saturday were released from the local jail on Monday.

Police on the other hand continued crackdown on lawyers and activists of opposition parties and arrested more than two dozen people from here on Monday.

Reports said that police raided the residences of lawyers and opposition activists and arrested them from Kamoki, Ghakkhar, Wazirabad and other towns of the district.

Sources said at least a dozen activists of People’s Labour Bureau and PML-N were arrested from Ghakkhar town.

MIANWALI: Lawyers continued boycott amid heavy police presence on the court premises.

The District Bar members met under president Malik Muhammad Rafiqe to decide their protest strategy for the coming days.

The house unanimously resolved to continue boycott of courts and said when thousands of their brothers (lawyers) were behind the bar for rising voice against the emergency, it was against all norms for them to resume their practice.

The bar also decided to continue awareness campaign to muster public support against the imposition of state of emergency and attack on the supremacy of apex court and its judges.

The Piplan police arrested last night Shamsher Ahmed Joyia advocate from Piplan under detention orders and sent him to the Rajanpur jail.

MULTAN: Lawyers’ community continued its boycott of courts.

Addressing lawyers in the district bar room, protest leaders said that lawyers would continue their protest till the restoration of constitution and reinstatement of deposed judges, including Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

Later, lawyers of the district bar held a demonstration outside the district courts and raised slogans against the government and Gen Musharraf.

Addressing a press conference, HCBA president Habibullah Shakir demanded immediate release of all detained lawyers and said that 19 lawyers of Multan had been detained in Attock and Mianwali jails while more than 42 lawyers of other parts of Punjab had been confined in Multan and Bahawalpur jails.

He said the presence of police and armoured vehicles on the court premises was against the dignity of courts.

BAHAWALPUR: As many as 68 lawyers of Lahore were still detained in the Borstal jail here.

After Sunday’s release of 58 lawyers on bail on Saturday, the remaining 68 lawyers waited throughout the day in vain for their release orders on Monday.

Meanwhile, local lawyers who resumed court work in the morning again struck it after 10-30 am on Monday to register their protest against the imposition of emergency rule in country and removal of apex court judges.

TOBA TEK SINGH: A complete strike was observed on consecutive 7th day here by the district bar.

A bar meeting decided that strike would continue for an indefinite period.

Kamalia and Gojra bars also observed complete strike.

SARGODHA: Local police continued its blockade of all routes leading to the District Bar Association office and did not allow any lawyer to come on the road.

In an atmosphere of harassment, lawyers have started wearing civilian dress. Meanwhile, at least three dozen lawyers, mostly youngsters, have been arrested and sent to Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalpur jails.