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LAHORE, Dec 18: Lawyers scuffled with police and removed barricades in their bid to reach Justice Khwaja Mohammad Sharif’s residence in the DHA after the Punjab government declared it a sub-jail to prevent the judge from attending a reception at Aiwan-i-Adl.
All roads to Justice Sharif’s residence were blocked by heavy police contingents.
About 50 protesters, including lawyers, students of LUMS and IJT, managed to move ahead after removing two police pickets but were halted at the third picket.
The lawyers chanted slogans in favour of independent judiciary and staged a sit-in. After prolonged arguments, police allowed a delegation of four lawyers and two students to meet Justice Sharif. Lahore Bar Association president Syed Mohammad Shah and advocates Ahmed Awais, Khuram Latif Khosa and Mohammad Azhar Siddique were among those who met the judge and presented flowers.
Talking to the lawyers, Justice Sharif appreciated their movement for the restoration of the Constitution and the rule of law. He said that even after the so-called lifting of the emergency, basic rights of the people remained suspended. He said the Constitution should be restored in letter and spirit for the rule of law in the country.
He said he himself was part of the lawyers’ movement and the detention of judges could not stop the legal fraternity from continuing movement.
Later, the lawyers, students and some members of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf marched from the residence of the judge in Bloc ‘S’ to Lalak Jan Shaheed Chowk. Some of the lawyers were holding Tehrik-i-Insaaf flags while students of the IJT had wrapped party flags around their heads.
In a telephonic address from his residence to lawyers at the Aiwan-i-Adl, Justice Sharif said the Islamic system of justice had been blocked from taking root in the country because the rulers wanted to manipulate the system.
He said a single man was responsible for amending the Constitution and taking the country to the brink of a judicial and political quagmire because he wanted to satisfy his whims.
