ISLAMABAD: Partial strike was observed by the lawyers of Islamabad on Thursday in response to the call issued jointly by the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA).

On Wednesday the strike call was issued by the premier bodies to show solidarity with the legal fraternity, following what they called disturbing events of the Punjab police brutality against the lawyers who were peacefully protesting the ‘unlawful’ divisions of the civil courts in Lahore.

In condemnation of the illegal and unlawful acts by the Punjab Police, lawyers across the country will stage a complete strike and will abstain from appearing in courts to demonstrate solidarity with the advocates of the Lahore Bar Association, both vice chairman PBC Riazat Ali Sahar and President SCBA Shahzad Shaukat had announced the protest. Additionally, the lawyers will convene protest meetings, marches, and rallies in their respective bar rooms to express their dissent on this matter.

In the Supreme Court, cases were heard as normal since it is a usual practice that cases are never postponed in the top judiciary merely in view of the strike calls.

When SCBA PresidentShahzad Shaukat was approached, he acknowledged that strikes were never observed in the apex court, saying it was always difficult to adjourn urgent matters whenever abrupt strike calls were given.

He however said that at least top court was considerate enough to the extent that no case was dismissed on non prosecution.

Likewise the lawyers in the Islamabad High Court Bar also observed partial strike in view of the strike call. Heavy contingent of police was deployed at the entrance at the premises of the high court and the entry was restricted.

But the benches heard the bail petitions in the case of GBP 190 million corruption reference against former Prime Minister Imran Khan and despite the request by Special Prosecutor Amjad Pervez to adjourn the hearing without any proceedings, the bench presided over by Chief Justice Aamir Farooq declined the request and said that the courts cannot stop administration of justice despite strike calls.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2024