PESHAWAR, Nov 11: Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto has assured lawyers of her party’s full support in the struggle for restoration of Constitution, reinstatement of superior court judges and autonomy of bar councils.

Talking to a delegation of the Peshawar High Court Bar Association in Islamabad on Saturday, she said her party endorsed the lawyers’ struggle against draconian emergency measures. The lawyers’ team was led by SCBA’s acting president Sakhi Sultan and senior vice-president Saeed Akhtar Khan.

They highlighted losses suffered by the legal fraternity because of a few black sheep and also details about their struggle for judiciary’s independence and the role of the bar councils against the regime.

Talking to Dawn in Peshawar by telephone from Haripur, Mr Khan said they also briefed Ms Bhutto about the cruel treatment meted out to former SCBA chief Munir A. Malik, who is confined in the Attock Fort, SCBA president Aitzaz Ahsan in Adiala Jail, and Ali Ahmed Kurd in a Sihala Rest House.

“We told her that more than 50 judges had refused to take oath under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO). Now the government, through an ordinance, is going to curtail powers of bar councils, which are entitled to grant or refuse membership to lawyers. The government is planning to transfer powers of bar councils to the Supreme Court and high courts,” Mr Khan said.

He said on their request, Ms Bhutto visited the Judges Colony and praised the courage of detained judges. She praised the stance and vision of the apex court judges, who refused to give in to dictators.

He said government was not paying any heed to the plight of people detained in general criminal cases in prisons.