November 17, 2007	Saturday	Ziqa’ad 06, 1428

RAWALPINDI, Nov 16: The number of protesting lawyers in the city courts is increasing with every passing day as hundreds of lawyers here on Friday staged protest demonstration within the court premises.

The charged lawyers took a round of the courts chanting slogans against the imposition of emergency and expulsion of judges of the superior courts.

They appreciated the efforts of the detained lawyers for the cause of supremacy of law and independence of judiciary.

They observed one-hour boycott of the court proceedings and 25 lawyers staged two-hour hunger strike.

In a general body meeting of the District Bar Association (DBA) the lawyers decided to summon the meeting of Lahore High Court Bar Association at Rawalpindi bench on November 20 when all members of the LHCBA from Islamabad, Attock, Chakwal, Jehlum and Rawalpindi.

The lawyers criticised the registrar of the LHC for breaking the locks of the bar office that had been locked in the absence of its office-bearers who have either been arrested or gone underground.

Vice-president of DBA Raja Khalid Ismail Abbasi advocate was made acting president of LHCBA and joint secretary Shahbaz Rajpoot advocate general secretary of high court bar. 5 political prisoners released

By Our Correspondent

ATTOCK, Nov 16: About 12 political prisoners including nine Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders and three lawyers were shifted to Attock Jail while five others were released here on Friday.

Those who were shifted here included Haji Mohammad Iqbal (president PPP Khanewal), Abdul Majeed Arain (president PPP Lodrah), Mukhtar Ahmed (president PPP Dunyapur, Lodrah), Mohammad Munawar (president People’s Youth Organisation, Lodrah), PPP leaders Maqsood Ahmed (Vehari), Zafaryab, Mian Mohammad Mansoor (Pakpattan), Mohammad Mukhtar Sabir and Ali Nawaz (Sahiwal).

Also lawyers Suhail Amir, Mian Ahmed Rahim and Khawaja Tuqeer Ahmed (Faisalabad) were shifted to Attock jail. They were arrested after proclamation of emergency in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, five political prisoners including a lawyer were released form the Attock Jail on the orders of home department Punjab, sources said.

Political prisoners Jam Ghulam Asgher, Abdul Hameed, Rao Abdul Jabbar (Multan) and Ghana Mohammad (D.G. Khan) and a lawyer Mohammad Asgher Khan (Multan) were released from the jail.