LAHORE: The legal fraternity on Friday called off its days-long strike in the Punjab province after successful negotiations with Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti over the issue of cases registered against lawyers in different cities on terrorism charges.

The lawyers have been observing strike, especially in district courts of the province with a demand to withdraw the cases lodged by police.

Punjab Bar Council (PbBC) Vice Chairman Syed Jaffar Tayyar Bokhari told a press conference that a delegation of the bar discussed the issues of the lawyers with the chief justice and the meeting turned out to be successful.He claimed that the meeting reached a consensus on the withdrawal of ‘fake’ FIRs registered against the lawyers under section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997. He said the chief justice assured the bar of taking action against the ‘ill-mannered’ and ‘corrupt’ judges of the district judiciary.

Mr Bokhari further stated the bar also undertook to play its role in eradicating the culture of unnecessary strikes by lawyers. He said the institution of new cases would not be suspended during strikes in future. The sessions judge concerned would be informed in writing by the district bar association prior to a strike.

PbBC executive committee’s chairman Farooq Khokhar and other members of the bar were also present at the press conference.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2022