PESHAWAR, Nov 13: Lawyers on Tuesday decided to partially end boycott of lower courts but continue the boycott of the superior court for an indefinite period.

The lawyers condemned intelligence agencies for allegedly torturing their leaders, including Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, Ali Ahmad Kurd, Justice (retd) Tariq Mahmood and Munir A. Malik.

The lawyers at a general body meeting of the Peshawar High Court Bar Association and the Peshawar District Bar Association decided that they would work till 11am in the lower courts and observe strike after that time.

It was decided that a complete strike would be observed every Thursday.

“The boycott of the Supreme Court and high courts will continue till completion of our mission,” announced Kifayatullah Khan, the member of NWFP Bar Council.

The lawyers also held a demonstration on the premises of the high court and later on outside the court premises. A contingent of police was posted outside the high court. Banners and posters displayed in different parts of the high court and other courts.

The general body meeting was addressed by Asadullah Khan Chamkani, Fida Gul, Kifayatullah Khan, Khalid Mahmood, Gulab Shah, Ms Mussarat Hilali, Ms Ayesha Malik and Mohammad Ayaz Khan.

The speakers criticised amendments to the Army Act and the proposed amendments to the Pakistan Bar Council Act.

The meeting formed different committees which would supervise the boycott of the superior courts and to meet the families of the arrested lawyers.

Different members submitted their reports regarding their visit to the Dera Ismail Khan and Haripur central prisons where they had met the detained lawyers.