KARACHI, April 9: The lawyers’ protest campaign opposing the Chief Justice of Pakistan’s (CJP) Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry suspension completed a month yesterday (Monday). During the campaign, the lawyers stayed away from courts proceedings every day for one hour.

They also resorted to seven full-day strikes and held sit-ins, several processions and marches almost daily. Hundreds of lawyers have to date participated in the token hunger strike observed in the premises of different courts for almost one hour daily.

The campaign besides affecting the lawyers’ routine is cauing problems for the public, especially those in the police lock ups. A court official said the police bring between 600 to 750 prisoners daily to the city courts from different prisons. Most of them can not be produced in the courts because of the lawyers strike. A senior lawyer said the reference against the CJP is in the Supreme Judicial Council, but the fact that the delay in taking a decision on it is causing problems for the litigants, transporters, lawyers, general public and also the law enforcement agencies.

On Monday, lawyers in Sindh High Court (SHC), city courts and Malir district court continued their campaign.

Ten members -- all of them women -- of Sindh High Court Bar Association sat on a token hunger strike in the bar room. They were Sakina Khatoon Rizvi, Perveen Pervaiz, Shazia Usmani, Zaibun-Nisa, Yasmeen Zehra Naqvi, Sanjeda Akhtar Zaidi, Nasim Bhatti, Aziza Bhatti, Raffat Naseem Naz and Hina Kiran. The lawyers also boycotted court proceedings from 10.30am to 11.30am.

During the one-hour strike, the lawyers gathered in the bar room. President Sindh High Court Bar Association Abrar Hasan, General Secretary Munir-ur-Rehman in their speeches said their campaign would continue till the CJP’s reinstatement. They said the lawyers are struggling for independence of the judiciary and protection of the constitution.

Seven members of Karachi Bar Association (KBA) observed a token hunger strike. They were Nizakat Khan, Raja Arif Tahir, Salim Tanoli, Nazir Tanoli, Sikandar Adil, Athar Ismail and Azizullah Khan. Lawyers in the city courts stayed away from courts proceedings from 10.30am to 11.30am. They gathered in Shuhda-e-Punjab Hall. KBA General Secretary Naeem Qureshi, senior lawyer Hafeez Baloch and General Secretary National Party Hasil Bizinjo spoke on the occasion.

Naeem Qureshi said, “despite a month and rulers’ conspiracies, the lawyers are fully united for reinstatement of the CJP.” He reiterated KBA’s stand to continue its campaign and said the CJP’s reinstatement was their target. Hafeez Baloch said every dictator had tried to subjugate the judiciar. He said their struggle would bear fruit soon.

General Secretary National Party Hasil Bizinju said the action against the CJP was illegal and unconstitutional. He said President Pervez Musharraf was trying to prolong his tenure as president and army chief and his action against the CJP was part of this plan. He said the government itself has announced to hold elections this year, adding that if polls were delayed the political parties would stand against it.

Naeem Qureshi and Mohammad Jiwani later told newsmen that SHCBA and KBA members would take out a joint procession today (Tuesday) from city courts and block M.A. Jinnah Road.

President Malir Bar Association Zahoor Hussain Mehar, when contacted, said lawyers stayed away from courts proceedings from 10.30am to 11.30am. Four MBA members observed a token hunger strike. They were Zafar Ali, Rana Abdul Majeed, Nasir Raza and Qamruddin Merani.