March 28, 2008	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 19, 1429

LAHORE, March 27: This Thursday was no exception. A 2,000-strong lawyers’ rally sans political workers again made to The Mall, pledging to take the deposed judges to their offices in a caravan if parliament did not make an order to restore them within a 30-day deadline as promised by governmental parties – Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Aitzaz Ahsan has delayed a long march on Islamabad and instead provided parliament with time to restore the judges sacked under the Nov 3 Provisional Constitution Order (PCO). Two top seat-holding parties – the PPP and the PML-N -- resolved on March 9 to restore the deposed judges in the first 30 days of the formation of the government.

One rally by the Lahore Bar Association (LBA) emerged from the Aiwan-i-Adl, and another by the Lahore High Court Bar Association emerged from the Lahore High Court. Both rallies merged outside GPO Crossing. Besides lawyers, the workers of the Tehrik-i-Khaksar, Yellow Cab Association and Women’s Action Forum (WAF) were also present.

Lawyers’ rallies have become a permanent feature after the imposition of emergency in Nov 3. But their strength started going down after the Feb 18 election. First, PPP workers ditched the rallies, followed by PML-N workers.

At the yesterday rally, the most prominent among the protesters were the workers of Tehrik-i-Khaksar, who were holding a wooden plank fastened with several shoes and inscribed with anti-establishment slogans. They came up with their own slogan, ‘Chief Teray Jannisar, Khaksar Khaksar’.

Earlier, addressing the general house meeting, LHCBA President Anwar Kamal said the lawyers' movement was nearing its target but a lot of effort was still required to get the judges restored. He added the decision to completely boycott the court proceedings was of the bar but it was not being followed in letter and spirit.

He announced that at the next Thursday lawyers would gather outside the main passage to the courtrooms and urge their colleagues not to plead cases before PCO judges. He added questions were being raised as to why lawyers were appearing before the courts despite the boycott call of the Pakistan Bar Council.

He said the LHCBA did not believe in suspending the licenses of the lawyers violating the discipline but would ask them to explain their position. He added lawyers appearing before the judge on Thursdays came up with the excuse that they only appeared in cases of urgent nature.

“Please, don't file cases of urgent nature on Wednesday to avoid appearing before the judges on Thursdays,” he appealed to his community.

He said Gen Pervez Musharraf had admitted that he made an unconstitutional order and the Supreme Court had no power to endorse it. He added the prime minister did not favour anybody when he ordered the release of the judges because it was his foremost responsibility to follow the law.

He said lawyers had allowed parliament 30 days to resolve the controversy over the illegally removed judges. "If Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry desired to go and sit in his office, no one can stop him," he added.

Pakistan Bar Council member Hafiz Abdul Rehman Ansari and advocate Wali Muhammad Khan said lawyers would file cases against the former Punjab chief minister, the former Lahore High Court chief justice and high police officials for subjecting lawyers to torture at the court premises during their movement.

Mr Ansari condemned US officials Richard Boucher and Negroponte for their alleged efforts to convince Pakistani politicians to withdraw their stand from getting the sacked judges restored.

SCBA Vice President Ghulam Nabi Bhatti said after the lapse of the deadline given to the new government, lawyers would hold a launch long march for the restoration of judges.

LHCBA secretary Rana Asadullah Khan and LBA President Manzoor Qadir also spoke.