EVERY now and then we see lawyers’ associations and even elected bar councils boycotting court proceedings and giving strike calls on various issues at their will. One such strike call was given by lawyers’ associations in different courts on Jan 21, on the recent gory incident in Sahiwal.

While a strike call given by any political party or a social or professional group is altogether illegal, unconstitutional and against the human rights, why strike calls by lawyers’ associations and bar councils are not criticised, challenged and termed illegal.

Such frequent boycotts and strikes by lawyers not only mock the constitution and the legal system of the country, they also make the lives of litigants miserable by prolonging the justice process and burdening the courts with thousands of undecided cases. Besides, these strikes are like a holiday for the court staff and justice machinery.

Lawyers and all relevant segments of the justice system should play a positive role by working together untiringly to accelerate the judicial process to ensure dispensation of justice and curtailment of crimes in society at a faster pace.

But then how will the fast-expanding and recalcitrant lawyer fraternity survive society is purged of crimes at a faster pace?

Raihan A. K. Lodhi

Karachi

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2019