December 20, 2007	Thursday	Zilhaj 9, 1428

LAHORE, Dec 19: The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Wednesday set up a hunger strike camp in front of the Supreme Court, Lahore Registry, as a full bench started working.

A full bench, comprising Justice Fakir Muhammad Khokar, Justice Mian Hamid Farooq and Justice Akhtar Shabbir for the first time after November 3, started working at the Lahore Registry of the apex court. The bench dispensed with over 30 cases on its first working day.

A court official said lawyers did appear before the bench, however, most of them had been law officers and prosecutors representing various government wings.

Outside the Supreme Court building, some 30 lawyers chanted slogans in favour of the deposed members of the judiciary and called for boycott of court proceedings. Humnan Rights Commission of Pakistan Chairperson Asma Jehangir, Professional Group head Hamid Khan, SCBA Secretary Amin Javed Bhatti, advocate Anwar Kamal and others had filled the camp.

Both the secretaries of the Lahore Bar Association, Shamimur Rehman and Khawar Bashir, besides Lahore High Court Bar Association vice-president Firdous Butt represented their bars.

According to the lawyers’ plan, the LBA was to take out a rally from Aiwan-I-Adl which was cancelled. The president Syed Muhammad Shah told reporters that the rally was scheduled for Thursday in line with the direction of the National Action Committee of lawyers.

However, inside the barroom stage was set up for the general house meeting, which was to reschedule the rally. — Reporter