February 13, 2008	Wednesday	Safar 05, 1429

A Reporter

KARACHI, Feb 12: Responding to a strike call given by the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) at the lawyer’s convention held in Islamabad, the city’s lawyers stayed away from courts on Tuesday.

All legal proceedings remained suspended at the City Courts and district courts, Malir. The boycott of courts will continue till Feb 18.

Over 300 under-trial prisoners were brought to the City Courts from different prisons of the city, but were taken back to their respective prisons without being produced in court due to the lawyers’ strike.

However, the judges remained in their chambers.

Most of the stationery shops, cabins, stump vendors and canteens situated in the courts’ premises remained open.

Speaking at the general body meeting of the Karachi Bar Association (KBA) held in the Shuhada-i-Punjab Hall of the City Courts, the lawyers strongly condemned the police action against a peaceful lawyers’ procession on Feb 9 in Islamabad.

The president of the Karachi Bar Association, Mahmoodul Hasan, welcomed the decision of the chief of the Army Staff, General Ashaq Parvez Kayani, to call the army officers back from various civil institutions.

He said that it was high time for the army to return to the barracks and instead of indulging in the national politics, it should concentrate on the defence of the country.

The KBA office-bearer also condemned the move of the Sindh government of imposing a ban on the entry of the chief of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Imran Khan, into the province.

KBA joint secretary Muzaffar Iqbal Sufi, Arshad Jadoon and Riaz Afandi also spoke.

They vowed to continue the ongoing struggle for the reinstatement of the deposed judges, restoration of democracy, the rule of law and supremacy of the constitution.

The Karachi and Malir bar associations have also endorsed the call of the Pakistan Bar Council and announced a complete boycott of court proceedings till Feb18.

After the general body meeting, the lawyers also took out a rally from the KBA office and marched within the City Courts’ premises.

They shouted anti-Musharraf and anti-government slogans.