August 22, 2008	Friday	Sha'aban 19, 1429

HYDERABAD, Aug 21: Lawyers in different parts of the province boycotted courts and held general body meetings to voice protest against what they called ‘the government’s complete somersault’ over the issue of reinstatement of deposed judges.

In Hyderabad, lawyer leader Abdul Sattar Kazi said in his address to a general body meeting that he wondered why the rulers were doing somersaults everyday over the reinstatement of deposed judges.

He said that an emphatic no by the deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry to the general and his coterie reawakened the lawyers who stood up against the dictatorship and took to the street all over the country.

He said that their historic movement drew backing from the civil society organisations and the general public and led to general elections and finally resignation by the dictator.

He said that the government’s somersaults were causing disappointment and anger among lawyers and members of civil society who had laid down great sacrifices during the struggle for the restoration of judiciary.

Hyderabad District Bar Association Secretary Nisar Durrani said that the very survival of democracy in the country now rested on the reinstatement of judges. If the rulers failed to reinstate them then they must understand that it would be difficult for them to perpetuate in rule, he warned.

Earlier, lawyers boycotted courts in response to the call given by the Pakistan Bar Council and Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and then held a rally in the court premises, wearing black armbands and shouting slogans against the former president.

They demanded that Musharraf should be hanged and vowed to continue struggle till the restoration of judiciary to pre-Nov 3 status.

In Mirpurkhas, lawyers boycotted courts and a general body meeting of the DBA called upon the government to restore judiciary and not to give safe exit to the former president.

In Sanghar, lawyers boycotted courts and DBA leaders said at a general body meeting that if judges were not restored to Nov 2 position lawyers would again resort to agitation and continue their struggle till the restoration of judges.