LAHORE: In adherence to the call of Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), the legal fraternity on Wednesday observed a strike to press the demand for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s resignation after the JIT’s report on Panama issue.

In the provincial metropolis, lawyers visited their respective bars as usual but did not appear before courts especially district courts.

However, Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) distanced itself from the strike announced by the PBC saying it did not want the litigant public to suffer for the protest activity of lawyers.

LHCBA Secretary Amir Saeed Rawn told media persons that the association was the first to demand resignation from the prime minister after the April 20 decision by the Supreme Court in the Panamagate. However, he said, the bar was not in favour of observing strikes [to the effect] as it would increase problems for litigants.

He said the LHCBA would continue to observe its weekly protest meeting and rally on Thursdays as decided by the National Action Committee, having representatives of different bar associations.

Though the LHCBA did not own the PBC strike call, a majority of lawyers stayed away from routine work and spent the entire day in barrooms. A large number of cases were adjourned by the courts without any progress.

Some lawyers believe the LHCBA, by not following the strike call of PBC, settled its score as the council, the top regulatory body of lawyers, had initially distanced itself from the announcement of launching a movement for the prime minister’s resignation made by the bar association.

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2017