June 26, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-us-Sani 21, 1429

KARACHI, June 25: Legal fraternity stayed away from court proceedings at the City Courts and Malir District Courts on Wednesday in protest against the Lahore High Court decision that barred Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Mian Nawaz Sharif from contesting by-election.

Although judges turned up and remained present in their chambers, legal proceedings could not be held due to the boycott by lawyers, who expressed solidarity with the PML-N leader.

Undertrial prisoners were brought to the City Courts police lock-up from various prisons for the hearing of their cases but had to be driven back to their barracks.

At the Malir District Courts, members of the Malir Bar Association held a general body meeting where the LHC decision came under criticism. The bar maintained that verdicts by the unconstitutionally appointed PCO judges were not acceptable.

Later, participants of the meeting took out a rally and staged a sit-in at a section of the National Highway to register their protest. Movement of vehicular traffic in the vicinity remained suspended during the sit-in. The protesters disperse peacefully after some time.

Meanwhile, the legal fraternity in the city has announced that a complete boycott of court proceedings would be observed on Thursday in response to the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) call for a weekly protest against the Provisional Constitution Order.

ATC proceedings

The Anti-Terrorism Court-V on Wednesday recorded the statement of a kidnapping-for-ransom victim and adjourned the hearing of the case till June 26.

The victim, Noreen Ali, deposed that she was kidnapped along with her friend, Badal Mashi, from University Road by five persons, who shifted them to a house in PCEHS. Later, she added, the kidnappers demanded ransom from her family and one of them, Nadeem-ul-Haq, subjected her to sexual assault.

Defence counsel Mushatq Ahmed and M. R. Syed cross-examined the victim.

Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch of the court will record the statement of Badal Mashi on Thursday.

According to the charge-sheet, the accused demanded Rs500,000 for their release.