KARACHI, May 15: The Sindh High Court Bar Association resolved on Tuesday to initiate contempt proceedings against the home secretary and the inspector-general of police for their failure to provide ‘foolproof’ security to Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry on May 12 to enable him to travel from the Karachi airport to the SHC on a route of his choice as ordered by a division bench on May 11.

Addressing a general body meeting of the association, SHCBA President Abrar Hasan said he had informed the administration of the lawyers’ plan to proceed to the airport to receive Justice Iftikhar but all roads around the court premises were blocked at midnight on May 11. Even some of the judges were compelled to alight from their cars at some distance, walk their way and scale the boundary wall to reach the court premises. He contacted the police authorities on Saturday morning but to no avail. The government functionaries instead asked him to advise the CJ to cancel his visit in view of the tense situation in the city but he refused to oblige as the bar could not turn away its honourable guest.

The meeting was also addressed by Pakistan Bar Council member Yasin Khan Azad, Sindh Bar Council members Saathi M. Ishaq and Salahuddin Gandapur and Sindh Unity Party leader Syed Ghulam Shah Bukhari.

They squarely blamed the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, the provincial and federal governments, the provincial governor and the president for the violence and killings in the city. The speakers particularly condemned excesses against lawyers at the City Courts.

The lawyers, meanwhile, observed a complete strike on Tuesday. No cause list could be published or distributed on Saturday and Monday. There would be no protest on Wednesday but Thursday would be marked by day-long boycott of court proceedings in pursuance of a decision taken by the Pakistan Bar Council and the Supreme Court Bar Association. SHCBA members offered Fateha for those killed on Saturday in the SHC compound after the general body meeting.