ISLAMABAD: Representatives of lawyers of the federal capital on Friday decided to stage a protest in front of parliament to pressurise the government on the issue of the rotation of judges of the lower courts.

It was decided during a meeting jointly convened by office bearers of the District Bar Association of Islamabad and the Islamabad High Court Bar Association that lawyers will bring out a rally from the district courts on Monday, Jan 7 and walk to parliament to register a peaceful protest.

Lawyers of the federal capital are demanding that judges of the subordinate judiciary be rotated in other provinces.

Saying lawyers’ behaviour is ‘uncalled for’, judges also decided to stop working till lawyers call off strike

A press release issued by the district bar also contained concerns regarding the unannounced ‘pen-down’ strike and said lawyers will continue with their strike till their demand is accepted.

The lawyers had last month detained some 20 judges in their chambers after the Capital Development Authority conducted a midnight operation to demolish some of their chambers illegally built in front of and in the surroundings of the courtrooms, parking, entrance and emergency exit.

Saying their behaviour was “uncalled for”, judges also decided to stop working till the lawyers call off their strike.

A litigant told Dawn there had been no proceedings in her case for more than a couple of weeks due to the unavailability of judges and lawyers.

The Special Branch of the Islamabad police has also expressed serious concerns due to the strike and the construction of illegal chambers within and in the surroundings of the district courts.

In its report titled Prevailing Situation in District Courts, the Special Branch has pointed out that lawyers have constructed another 10 illegal chambers in the surroundings of the courtroom of district and sessions judge Chaudhry Mumtaz.

“Some chambers have also been constructed near the main entrance of the district courts,” the report said.

It went on to say that lawyers have constructed chambers in the parking areas so there is now no parking space and people have to park their cars in nearby streets.

“The entrance and exit points of the district courts premises have been narrowed and it would be not possible to conduct effective rescue operation in case of any emergency,” the Special Branch has warned.

“In case any chamber or any area of the district court is caught fire (sic), the fire tenders would not reach the affected areas,” it says.

Published in Dawn, January 5th, 2019