August 26, 2008	Tuesday	Sha'aban 23, 1429

HYDERABAD, Aug 25: Several lawyers boycotted the inauguration ceremony of Sessions Court Building here on Monday in protest against the presence of PCO judges. Lawyers condemned the Pakistan Bar Council’s resolution, appointing Yaseen Azad to the executive committee in place of Rasheed A. Razvi.

This was discussed in the meeting of Hyderabad chapter of High Court Bar Association, presided over by President Abdul Sattar Kazi. It announced to stage a sit-in outside the DPO office on August 28 as a part of their agitation against delay in the reinstatement of judges.

The meeting demanded immediate reinstatement of deposed judges and came hard on PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari for dragging his feet on the issue despite making commitments with their coalition partner, the PML-N.

Lawyers took out a protest rally from Hyderabad District Bar Association to Sindh University old campus led by Mr Kazi. They raised slogans for reinstatement of judges.

Office-bearers of the HCBA and other lawyers boycotted the inaugural ceremony of Sessions Court Building. They raised slogans against PCO judges who were present there.

A general body meeting of lawyers was also held in HDBA although its president and general secretary attended the ceremony.

An official of the HCBA said that they didn’t attend the ceremony as according to the PBC’s resolution no PCO judge would be invited to bar and they would boycott any ceremony where PCO judges were guests.

He said they had no objection to the inauguration by federal law secretary but other PCO judges were invited to the function.

Our Sanghar correspondent adds: Lawyers took out a rally and observed token hunger strike here on Monday to protest against recent Pakistan Bar Council decisions. They also held a general body which adopted a resolution against Pakistan Bar Council and condemned the action against Rashid A. Razvi and Hamid Khan by PBC.

Sanghar District Bar Association President Anwar Mehmood Nizamani, Zafar Hayat, Ratan Kumar, Ameer Ali Laskani and others said that lawyers will continue the struggle till the reinstatement of judges, including Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Choudhry.

They also opposed the move of taking the reinstatement matter in National Assembly because according to lawyers, NA members never listen to their conscience but always protect their vested interests, said lawyers.