KARACHI, Dec 4: The human rights committee of the Sindh Bar Council on Tuesday urged the government to release all lawyers and political activists arrested elsewhere in the country for opposing its unlawful measures and emergency rule. It also demanded withdrawal of about 9,200 false cases instituted against lawyers.

A resolution adopted at a meeting of the SBC committee condemned the continued detention of the deposed chief justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and the council’s top leadership. It further demanded reinstatement of all judges of the Supreme Court and high courts who had declined to take oath under the Provisional Constitution Order promulgated on Nov 3 and restoration of the genuine judiciary.

The resolution asked the government to withdraw all amendments to the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act-1973.

The meeting, held at the SBC office, was chaired by Aaqil Lodhi, head of the committee.

The meeting urged political parities to resolve that they would not resort to retaining the unconstitutional and illegal measures taken by the Musharraf regime after reaching the power corridors and the elected houses.

It reiterated the legal fraternity’s demand for the lifting of all curbs on the media and freedom of expression.

KBA president Iftikhar Javed Qazi, and other lawyers, including Mehmood-ul-Hassan and Mohammad Ali Abbasi also spoke.