RAWALPINDI, Nov 20: Protesting lawyers of the twin cities of Islamabad-Rawalpindi on Tuesday called for restoration of Constitution and reinstatement of superior court judges.

These demands were put forth at the general body meeting of the High Court Bar Association (HCBA), which was convened for the first time after the imposition of emergency by Gen Musharraf on November 3.

The meeting through various resolutions sought resignation of President Gen Pervez Musharraf, release of arrested lawyers, mediapersons and civil society activists and lifting of ban on the media.

Speaking to the lawyers who had gathered from Islamabad and the Rawalpindi division, former president of the Rawalpindi District Bar Association, Syed Zulfiqar Naqvi, said they had boycotted higher courts to protest the arrests of their fellow lawyers and questioned how the judges could sit in courts while their fellow judges were under detention.

The meeting criticised the judges who had taken oath under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO).

The High Court Bar held its first meeting after the imposition of emergency and removal of superior court judges.

The message of HCBA president, Sardar Ismat Ullah, who has been detained in Adiala Jail, was read out in the meeting.

The message said that the legal fraternity had played an important role in the independence of the judiciary and restoration of the Constitution and of civil rights.

“Though we have been deprived of our fundamental rights but it does not hamper our efforts toward the establishment of a civil society and this movement will be carried on till its logical conclusion i.e. (the) independence of (the) judiciary, restoration of democracy, Constitution and civil rights,” the message further stated.

The acting HCBA president, Raja Asif Raza, condemned the arrests of lawyers and curbs on the electronic media. Ex-vice president of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and ex- president of the High Court Bar Association, Mohammad Ikram Choudhry, said the lawyers were striving in the most difficult circumstances and praised them for bravely facing all sorts of hardships.

He criticised Attorney General Malik Mohammad Qayyum’s role in the imposition of emergency and removal of judges and suspension of the Constitution.

“The Army Act is very dear to Gen Musharraf as he calls it the discipline of (the) army but he should also be careful about (the) Constitution as it is the discipline of 160 million people of Pakistan,” the lawyer further said.

The general body meeting also apprehended that the arrested lawyers were likely to be implicated in false cases.