MARDAN: The legal fraternity of the Mardan district on Tuesday set up a hunger strike camp for an indefinite period while boycotting court proceedings to press the provincial government for building the judicial complex on the old jail land here.

The protesting lawyers led by district bar association president Islam Khan Wardag chanted slogans against the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led provincial government and the provincial education minister Mohammad Atif Khan.

Various local political leaders also visited the lawyers’ hunger strike camp to show solidarity with them.

On the occasion, lawyers’ leaders expressed strong determination to continue struggle till fulfillment of their demands. They alleged that the provincial government was not fulfilling its promises regarding construction of judicial complex in the old jail area, announcement of Shuhada Package for the families of the lawyers and other people killed in a suicide blast on the district courts’ premises and release of the promised Rs5 million for the lawyers.

They accused the provincial minister Mohammad Atif Khan of being a hurdle to fulfillment of their demands.

The lawyers threatened to stage a protest sit-in outside the Banigala residence of PTI chief Imran Khan in Islamabad if their demands were not met within a week.

Published in Dawn, November 22nd, 2017