LAHORE/KARACHI, March 19: A Lahore High Court judge and two judicial officers of Sindh went public with their protest resignations while four more civil judges are reported to have tendered resignations to their respective district and sessions judges.

In a resignation letter sent to President Pervez Musharraf and read out by his wife on telephone, Justice Jawad S. Khwaja of the Lahore High Court, said: “I have waited a few days before addressing you in the hope that something will be done to remedy the harm done to the judicial organ of the state. It seems I have waited in vain.”

Supreme Court Bar Association President Muneer A. Malik told reporters that Justice Khwaja resigned over police excesses, including teargas shelling in the LHC building and baton-charge on lawyers.

In Karachi, senior civil judge Ashrafyar Khan of District East told reporters that he was leaving because of the “present situation in the country with respect to the judiciary”.

“My conscience does not allow me to continue as a judicial officer,” he said. The judicial officer is the son of former justice Ibadatyar Khan of the Sindh High Court and Federal Shariat Court.

Civil judge Rajesh Chandra of Pano Aqil also confirmed his resignation.

Other judges who are reported to have resigned are senior civil judges Mustafa Safavi, Pir Syed Ali Shah Rashdi and civil judges Allah Bachayo Gabol and Ehsan Malik, all posted in Karachi.

Justice Khwaja’s wife told Dawn that he (Justice Khwaja) was satisfied and felt very light after resigning.

She said Justice Khwaja had been upset for some days over the way the government had handled the crisis.

"He has always been a professional and never had any political affiliations."

Justice Khwaja was appointed additional judge of the Lahore High Court on April 21, 1999.

His tenure as judge of the high court was due to last till Sept 9, 2012.

He visited his office in the morning, but left for home soon after drafting the resignation, a source said, adding that he did not take up any case on the cause list.

He drove home in his own car, leaving his official vehicle at the high court, the source added.

Commenting on the resignation, Senior Advocate Hamid Khan, a member of the Pakistan Bar Council, who worked with Justice Khwaja for 22 years as practising lawyer, termed it a courageous act.

"I think it is a very courageous step. It is the first drop of rain and, I think, other judges would make it a precedent. So far, bar associations have played their role in the ongoing crisis, and the resignation is the first contribution from bench."