November 14, 2007	Wednesday	Ziqa’ad 03, 1428

FAISALABAD, Nov 13: The police gave lawyers a going-over and arrested scores of them in parts of Punjab on Tuesday in a bid to stop them from protesting against the emergency rule.

Faisalabad was where the police baton-charged the District Bar Association members and arrested a dozen of them who were staging demonstration near the Clock Tower intersection.

Sources said the police held bar president Tanvir Randhawa, Punjab Bar Council member Akram Khaksar, former bar president Talib Husain and Saleem Jehangir from their residences. Those taken into custody from the protest venue included Changez Khan Kakar, Rana Faheem, Khalilur Rehman, Shahzad, Mian Sohail, Muzammil and Rana Asif.

They were shifted to some undisclosed locations and no case was registered against them till filing of this report. Eyewitnesses said the police baton-charged the protesters before arresting them.

The bar association had given a protest call against the imposition of emergency, promulgation of the Provisional Constitutional Order, attack on judiciary and sacking of apex court judges. The lawyers planned a protest rally from Clock Tower to bar premises which was under the police siege.

MULTAN: A complete strike was observed on the eight consecutive day by the district and high court bars of Multan.

A protest meeting of district bar was held and the lawyers also demonstrated outside courts. A meeting of high court bar lawyers criticised the judges who had “strengthened the dictatorship by taking oath under the PCO”.

The participants decided to wear black ribbons and display placards, banners and snaps of tortured lawyers in high court bar from Wednesday. The lawyers also announced that they would not go before any court for the bail appeals of the arrested lawyers because judges had taken oath under the PCO.

SHEIKHUPURA: Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Azam Chaudhry bailed out nine lawyers who had been detained nine days ago under 16-MPO.

Those who were released on bail included advocates Rizwan, Khawar, Sajid Javed, Usman, Tahir Shahzad Kamboh, Javed Sindhu, Sakhawat and Nasar Cheema.

Meanwhile, lawyers observed complete strike on the call of the Punjab Bar Council. The bar members suspended the membership of a lawyer, Rai Shahadat Ahmad, for appearing in court for the hearing of a case.

SAHIWAL: The Civil Lines police registered a case for violation of section 144 and 16-MPO against the Sahiwal district bar association secretary and eight other lawyers.

Meanwhile, the police registered cases against seven PPP leaders for violation of section 144 and creating of law and order situation by taking out unlawful procession on Nov 8.

MANDI BAHAUDDIN: The PML-N tehsil president was set at liberty after 10 days of illegal confinement.

Muhammad Iqbal Gondal, who was taken into custody on Nov 3 and sent on judicial remand on Monday, told this correspondent that the Saddar police kept him behind bars without registering any FIR.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Raja Pervez Akhtar accepted the bail plea of DBA vice-president Mian Akhtar Husain. On release, he was welcomed by colleagues outside the district jail. The judge also accepted the bail applications of 19 bar members, including Asad Ghauri, Mahmood Pervaiz Ranjha and Shariq Ranjha.

KASUR: Scores of lawyers of the Pattoki bar association observed hunger strike and boycotted court proceedings, hoisting black flags on court premises.

At a meeting, the participants passed resolution against the imposition of emergency and suspension of constitution. They demanded release of the lawyers who had been arrested and lifting of curbs on the media.

GUJRANWALA: The district bar association announced that the boycott of courts would continue till Nov 15.

Bar president Illyas Rehan and secretary-general Amir Munir Bagri appealed to the opposition parties to boycott the general elections.