February 14, 2008	Thursday	Safar 06, 1429

LAHORE, Feb 13: Lawyers observed a partial strike at the Lahore High Court (LHC) for the third consecutive day and office-bearers of the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) visited courtrooms to dissuade their peers from appearing before the judges appointed under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO).

Lawyers gathered outside the main passage leading to the courts to stop the lawyers violating the boycott being observed at the call of the Pakistan Bar Council.

The recent appointment of 10 LHC judges and the Feb 18 elections has renewed the dormant boycott of PCO judges by lawyers.

Judges, however, heard cases after LHCBA office-bearers and other lawyers retired to the barroom.

Ziaullah Manj, one of the members of a panel tasked with ensuring boycott of court, found a lawyer pleading his case before Justice Bilal Khan. Mr Manj tried to throw the lawyer out of the courtroom but the arguing lawyer resisted the move.

Justice Bialal asked Mr Manj not to stop the lawyer from argument.

"You can take anyone who is willing to go. Someone who does not want to leave should not be forced,” the judge said.

The lawyers also visited courtrooms of justices Muhammad Muzammal Khan, Hasnat Ahmad Khan, Ali Akbar Qureshi and Mian Najmuz Zaman.

LHCBA President Firdous Butt said office-bearers got courtrooms vacated. She added the lawyers would ensure that no lawyer appear before the judges.

She said the lawyers violating boycott would have his membership revoked. She said lawyers wanted an independent judiciary in the country and would not flinch in sacrificing for the cause.

She said litigants and economic factors forced the lawyers to appear before PCO judges. She urged lawyers to continue their struggle for an independent judiciary, the rule of law and true democracy in the country.

She said lawyers' movement was apolitical and above personal gains and could not be obstructed by any conspiracy. Lawyers will take out rallies today (Thursday) and boycott PCO judges.