PESHAWAR, March 10: The lawyers’ community boycotted court proceedings here on Saturday in protest against the suspension of the Chief Justice of Pakistan by President General Pervez Musharraf.

Describing the act as ‘unconstitutional’, the Peshawar High Court Bar Association (PHCBA) passed a resolution asking the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) to conduct proceedings of the reference against Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution.

The PHCBA, at a meeting chaired by its election commissioner Khwaja Mohammed Khan, endorsed the decision of the Pakistan Bar Council to observe a strike and black day on March 13 – the day the chief justice is to appear before the SJC.

Participants of the meeting criticised the action taken by the president. They were also critical of the judges of the superior courts “for supporting the action” taken under Article 209 of the Constitution.

They said neither the president nor the SJC had the power to make the chief justice non-functional prior to conducting an inquiry. They alleged that the chief justice was placed under house arrest.

Former senator Barrister Masood Kausar said the person who had sent a reference against the chief justice was himself a controversial figure. Even though the judiciary had always valildated military takeovers, the legal fraternity would raise voice for safeguarding its supremacy, he added.

Outgoing PHCBA president Syed Attique Shah said that irrespective of their political affiliation, all members of the lawyers’ community should come forward for safeguarding the dignity of the judiciary.

He said it was the need of the hour to wage a joint struggle. Member of the NWFP Bar Council Said Rehman Khan described the president’s action as a “direct assault on the independence of the judiciary”.

He said why Justice Chaudhry should suffer for the faults of his son. He said if the president wanted to carry out accountability, he should start it from army generals.

Mohammed Moazzam Butt, who belongs to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League, said the president had adopted a legal course for dealing with the charges levelled against the chief justice. He said it was a good step that the chief justice did not resign and opted to defend himself.

Barrister Bachha, Ghulam Nabi Khan, Hashim Raza, Hidayatullah Afridi, Ikramullah Khalid and others spoke at the meeting. The meeting was followed by a procession brought out from the high court building. Participants of the procession were carrying placards inscribed with slogans in favour of Justice Chaudhry. They were raising slogans against the president and the army.

Meanwhile, speaking at a news conference, former PHCBA president Hidayatullah Afridi appealed to the lawyer community to observe a complete strike on Tuesday (March 13) against the decision of Gen Musharraf.

Speaking at a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club on Saturday, Mr Afridi said Gen Musharraf had caused an unprecedented crisis by summoning the chief justice of Pakistan at the Army House and subsequently taking action against him.

Mr Afridi said that all the 15 charges levelled against Justice Chaudhry were aimed at bringing a bad name to him. He alleged that by taking action against Justice Chaudhry, the government had bulldozed cases of ‘forcible disappearances’ of citizens across the country.

He said it was high time for lawyers, students, political and human rights activists to raise their voice against the removal of Justice Chaudhry.