PESHAWAR: The legal fraternity on Tuesday observed boycott of courts and condemned the violent actions of police and Rangers against the lawyers in Lahore with a request to the Lahore High Court to withdraw the non-bailable arrest warrants of a lawyers’ leader if and when he appears in a contempt of court case.

The lawyers observed boycott on the call of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council, which had announced the strike to show solidarity with the lawyers in Punjab.

A joint general body meeting of Peshawar High Court Bar Association and Peshawar District Bar Association chaired by PHCBA vice president Yousaf Riaz Khalil was held here which was addressed by senior lawyers.

The meeting unanimously passed a resolution stating that the co-existence of bench and bar was essential for an effective legal and judicial system.

The resolution called upon senior members of the bar in Lahore to intervene, negotiate and settle the dispute. It also urged the lawyers to maintain their dignity and avoid any further agitation and rioting.

The meeting also strongly urged the judiciary to calm down and not to follow the bureaucratic, egoistic approach and thus take steps for the peaceful settlement of the issue.

Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2017