RAWALPINDI, May 21: Lawyers have called upon the people to join their ongoing movement for restoration of the chief justice of Pakistan, saying it has now become a struggle for independence of judiciary, restoration of true democracy and rule of law.

Speaking at a press conference at the District Bar Association (DBA), Lahore High Court Bar Association’s Rawalpindi chapter president Sardar Asmatullah Advocate called upon political parties, civil society organisations, teachers and student bodies, labour and trade associations and the public to participate in the movement for the rule of law.

LHCBA general secretary Sajid Ilyas Bhatti, joint secretary Malik Shafiq; DBA president Khalid Ismail Abbasi, general secretary Intizar Mehdi Shah and joint secretary Shahbaz Rajput were also present.

Asmatullah said the Lawyers Action Committee in its meeting on May 11 had decided that every district bar would approach the masses and urge them to participate in their struggle against the March 9 dictatorial action of President General Pervez Musharraf.

He said the protest initiated by the lawyers for the independence of judiciary had turned into a movement against the sham democracy and authoritative rule. He said their campaign would continue till complete independence of judiciary, restoration of true democracy and rule of law in the country.

Ilyas Bhatti said the lawyers had regularly been holding strikes and boycotting court proceedings on every Thursday and now they would be arranging protests in collaboration with political parties, civil society organisations and other bodies.

In reply to a question, the high court bar president said they would remain as peaceful as before. He said it was the government, not lawyers, which instigated violence.

Responding another question, the lawyers’ representatives said their bodies had been in contact with different international organisations to forward their cause peacefully.