KARACHI, May 8: Lawyers’ associations called off Wednesday’s strike saying that there was no need for a full-day strike when the Supreme Court had stayed the proceedings of the presidential reference against the chief justice in the Supreme Judicial Council.

However, they made it clear that the one-hour boycott of the court proceedings against the suspension of the chief justice would continue.

Speaking at a press conference at the Sindh High Court Bar Room on Tuesday, Sindh High Court Bar Association President Abrar Hasan said a meeting of the leading representative bodies of lawyers would be held on May 11 to take a unanimous decision about the mode of protest and lawyers would have to abide by the announcement of the central leadership.

Mr Hasan said lawyers would continue the campaign till the reinstatement of the chief justice. He said their struggle was aimed at the judiciary’s independence and strengthening of democratic institutions in the country.

About the proposed rally of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement on May 12, he said there was no clash between lawyers and political parties.

“We have repeatedly said the lawyers’ struggle is aimed at the independence of the judiciary and all the people including the political parties should come forward and join hands with lawyers to ensure the judiciary’s independence in the country,” he added.

He said officials of the provincial home department and other concerned authorities were already informed about the event and lawyers would proceed with their announced programme. He said members of various bars were free to attend programmes of their respective political parties. He said it had been decided that every party should take out processions for the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law in the country.

He appreciated the members of all the lawyers’ associations and said they were playing a historical role for the last 60 days.

He said various committees of lawyers were assigned duties to manage the programme. He said a sound system would be set up outside the compound of the SHC building so that political activists and others could listen to the address of the chief justice.

He asked all lawyers to reach the Malir Bar at 10.30am on May 12 so that a procession could be formed to receive the chief justice at the airport at noon. He said the procession from the airport would follow the route via Sharea Faisal and Shahrah-i-Quaideen to reach the mausoleum of the Quaid-i-Azam, where they would make a brief stopover. It would later proceed to the City Courts via M.A. Jinnah Road and Lewis Road. The procession would come to the Sindh High Court via M.A. Jinnah Road and Frere Road.

SHCBA General Secretary Shaikh Munir-ur-Rehman, Pakistan Bar Council members Yasin Azad, Abul Inam, Karachi Bar Association President Iftikhar Javaid Qazi and General Secretary Naeem Qureshi, KBA Managing Committee members Amir Niaz Khan, Imran Mohammad Iqbal, Suhail Jabbar, Sakhi Ghazali, Malir Bar Association General Secretary Naeem Memon and Income Tax Bar Association members were also present.