KARACHI: The Sindh High Court Bar Association and Malir Bar Association supported Pakistan Bar Council’s call for a country-wide strike for Thursday while Karachi Bar Association distanced itself from the call.

The PBC had given the strike call against fixing of the case of proposed ‘Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Bill 2023’ before “a controversial SC bench” before its enactment.

The Sindh Bar Council also endorsed PBC’s call for a boycott the court proceedings on Thursday across the province.

SHCBA secretary Amir Nawaz Warraich said the legal fraternity observed the boycott at Sindh High Court and also requested the SHC judges to discharge the board (cases fixed for the day) and only hear cases of urgent nature in their chambers.

Meanwhile, undertrial prisoners were brought from different jails to the City Courts and Malir district courts on Thursday for the hearing of their cases.

The KBA distanced itself from the strike on the ground that it was not consulted about the protest call in spite of the fact that it was the largest bar association of the country. The Malir Bar Association, backing the PBC call, asked its members to stay away from court proceedings on Thursday.

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2023