November 17, 2007	Saturday	Ziqa’ad 06, 1428

BAHAWALPUR, Nov 16: Lawyers continued their protests across the Punjab against the imposition of emergency rule in the country and mass arrest of lawyers and political workers and leaders. Besides boycotting judicial proceedings and holding protest meetings, now they have adopted another to stand by the deposed judges. Like Karachi, Lahore and Gujranwala, lawyers in Bahawalpur also set up a Flower Corner, brining spring in the midst of the city of desert range Cholistan.

Scores of bouquets and hundreds of flowers can bee seen at the corner eulogising superior courts’ judges. Lawyers set up the corner outside the District Bar Room in pursuance of the decision of the bar general body meeting held on Thursday.

They also struck judicial proceedings and formed a human chain. They also met lawyers of Lahore lodged at the borstal jail and gave them presents.

GUJRANWALA: The lawyers of the District Bar Association (DBA) on Friday formed a ‘justice corner’ on DBA premises to pay a tribute to deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary and other judges who refused to take oath under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO).

The lawyers displayed photographs of those judges in the ‘justice corner’ and showered rose petals on their photographs. They saluted these judges’ struggle and unprecedented verdicts handed down by them to maintain the supremacy of the law and of the Constitution. They also continued to boycott the court proceedings.

MIANWALI: Lawyers held a meeting at the bar room and unanimously condemned the arrest of PTI Chief Imran Khan and PPP Punjab President Shah Mehmood Qureshi. Lawyers chanted slogans against the government and condemned manhandling of Mr Khan at the Punjab University. They called the act a black spot on the student wing of a right wing party that is believed to be responsible for manhandling of Mr Khan.

TOBA TEK SINGH: Lawyers observed a complete strike in Toba Tek Singh, Kamalia and Gojra. The Democratic Lawyers’ Forum held a meeting which decided the organisation would contact political and religious forces and other segments of society to get their support for the movement for the restoration of democracy in the country.

KHANEWAL: Lawyers across the district continued boycotting court proceedings against the government. Bar associations of Khanewal, Mianchunnu, Jahanian and Kabirwala paralysed court workings and protested against the imposition of emergency and arrests of lawyers.