KARACHI, Nov 27: A reception planned for outgoing Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry by the Sindh High Court Bar Association was cancelled on Wednesday in the wake of a protest by the legal fraternity on the Islamabad incident involving a lawyer.

According to SHCBA President Mustafa Lakhani, the function for the CJP was cancelled in view of the apprehensions that some of the enraged lawyers might create an unwanted scene in the function. He said that that no reception would now be held as the outgoing CJP would retire shortly.

Meanwhile, legal proceedings remained suspended on Wednesday at the subordinate judiciary of the city as lawyers observed a boycott against what they called a police action against the protesting lawyers in Islamabad.

The country-wide boycott call was given by the Pakistan Bar Council against what it called the brutal police action against lawyers, who were protesting for establishment of benches of the Lahore High Court at their divisional headquarters, at the Supreme Court building in Islamabad on Nov 26.

The courts wore a deserted look and hundreds of cases fixed at the city courts and district courts in Malir for the day were not taken up for hearing as undertrial prisoners were not brought to the courts because of the lawyers’ strike.

Karachi Bar Association president Naeem Qureshi said that they adopted a resolution to condemn the police action against the lawyers and the closure of the bar room allegedly on a directive of the registrar of the apex court.

The legal work at the special courts of the city, including anti-terrorism courts, control of narcotic substances courts, accountability courts, anti-corruption courts and banking courts, was also badly disturbed as the lawyers did not turn up.

However, the police produced newly arrested suspects in the courts for remand.