March 11, 2008	Tuesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 2, 1429

HYDERABAD, March 10: Lawyers boycotted courts across Sindh on Monday on the call of Pakistan Bar Council and Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan to observe ‘black flag week’ for the reinstatement of deposed superior court judges.

There was complete boycott of courts in Hyderabad as lawyers did not appear in lower, sessions or high courts. They wore black armbands and carried black flags while marching on roads. Newly-elected office-bearers of the Hyderabad District Bar Association, including President Chaudhry Bashir Gujjar, Secretary Nisar Durrani, Joint Secretary Nadeem Khan Tareen and President High Court Bar Association Abdul Sattar Kazi, Secretary Allah Bachayo Soomro and Joint Secretary Ayaz Tunio led the rally.

Lawyers also staged protest demonstration outside the press club. They pledged to struggle till deposed judges were resorted. They said they will not compromise on this issue as it was a question of independence of judiciary.

In Nawabshah, the DBA members took out a rally and staged demonstration outside local press club. Lawyers also boycotted court proceeding. The rally started from the Sessions Court and after passing on main thoroughfares, returned back to the court.

Protesters carried black flags, banners and placards and raised demanding restoration of deposed judges. President DBA, Ziaul Hassan Lanjar and others like Ali Mohammad Dahiri, Rahim Bux Jamali and Mustafa Korai said struggle for the independence of judiciary and restoration of judges will continue.

In Sanghar district, black flags were hoisted atop bar offices and lawyers wore black armbands. Members of Taluka Bar Associations of Khipro, Tando Adam and Shahdadpur also hoisted black flags.

In Naushahro Feroze, Kandiaro, Moro and Bhirya towns, lawyers boycotted court proceedings, took out rallies and staged demonstrations. They wore black armbands and carried black flags.

In Mirpurkhas, lawyers boycotted court proceedings and hoisted black flags at the bar office, walls and grills of the district court, main roads and chowks. The DBA at its general body meeting condemned the government for detaining judges of higher courts.

A rally led by president DBA, Salahuddin Panhwar was taken out from bar office which marched on main roads and raised slogans of “Go Musharraf Go” and “restoration of independence of judiciary”.

In Umerkot also, lawyers boycotted court proceedings and hoisted black flags at bar offices and court buildings.

In Sukkur, lawyers stayed away from courts, took out protest rally and staged demonstration in front of Sukkur Press Club. Lawyers on the second day of ‘black flag week’ boycotted court proceedings and took out a protest rally from district court, while carrying black flags and wearing black arm bands and shouting slogans against the government, marched on main thoroughfares of the city and reached press club, where they staged demonstration.

Secretary General Sindh High Court Bar Association Sukkur Ghulam Shabbir Shar, President District Bar Association Sukkur Qurban Ali Malano and others welcomed the decision of Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League of presenting resolution in Parliament on restoration of deposed judges including Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

They were optimistic that the newly elected parliamentarians would keep their words and would not disappoint the nation.

In Badin, lawyers hoisted black flags on bar office and wore black armbands. They also boycotted court proceedings and staged demonstration outside the court building.