July 11, 2008	Friday	Rajab 7, 1429

HYDERABAD, July 10: Lawyers have asked the Chief Justice of Pakistan Abdul Hameed Dogar not to visit Hyderabad to inaugurate the newly-renovated sessions court, saying only the deposed chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry should inaugurate the building.

If Justice Dogsar arrived in Hyderabad, lawyers would boycott courts and observe the day as black day, said a resolution adopted at the general body meeting of Hyderabad District Bar Association (HDBA) in civil courts on Thursday.

The meeting presided over by HDBA President Bashir Gujjar was part of lawyers’ countrywide weekly protest. Lawyers added that a demonstration would also be staged against the arrival of chief justice at the sessions’ court building.

HDBA Secretary Nisar Durrani said that lawyers had vowed not to accept increase in the strength of Supreme Court judges because they had already rejected the constitutional amendment package.

He said that the government should immediately reinstate the judges as the lawyers believed that only the judiciary that existed on Nov 2 could dispense justice among people.

Prior to the meeting, they boycotted courts as part of weekly protest against delay in reinstatement of deposed judges of superior courts on a call given by the Pakistan Bar Council and the Supreme Court Bar Association.

They wore black armbands and did not appear in civil, sessions and high courts. The meeting was followed by a rally, which was led by HDBA President Chaudhry Bashir Gujjar, Secretary Nisar Durrani, Vice-President HDBA Abdul Khaliq Leghari and Joint Secretary Nadeem Tareen.They also staged a sit-in outside the Old Campus for half an hour while raising slogans “Go Musharraf Go” and “Chief Tere Janisar Be-shumar”.

MIRPURKHAS: Members of Mirpurkhas District Bar Association led by Salahuddin Panhwar boycotted courts on Thursday in protest against delay in reinstatement of deposed judges and independence of judiciary.

Mr Panhwar said that their struggle would continue till they achieved their goals and asked his fellow lawyers to maintain unity among their ranks.

Lawyers in Umerkot also boycotted court proceedings.