KARACHI, Nov 17: The legal fraternity observed a complete boycott of court proceedings at the City Courts and Malir District Courts on Saturday in response to the call of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) against the imposition of emergency rule in the country, the ousting of the chief justice and other judges of the Supreme Court and high courts and Provisional Constitution Order.

Around 362 undertrial prisoners from different prisons of the city were brought to the City Courts, but due to the lawyers’ boycott the hearing of their cases could not be conducted.

Meanwhile, a general body meeting of the Karachi Bar Association (KBA) was held at the Shuhada-i-Punjab Hall of the City Courts with senior advocate Sathi Ishaq in the chair. The meeting condemned the imposition of emergency rule in the country and urged the government to restore the 1973 constitution, release all the arrested lawyers across the country and restore the deposed judges of the Supreme Court and high courts.

Advocate Iqbal Aqeel moved a resolution in which he urged the government to lift the emergency, restore the constitution, release all lawyers and restore all the deposed judges who did not take an oath under thePCO.

“We condemn the curbs on the media and the judiciary and demand the freedom of the press and the judiciary. We also condemn the setting up of the interim government,” he said.

It was decided in the meeting that a complete boycott of court proceedings would be observed on Saturdays at the City Courts and Malir District Courts in accordance with the announcement of the PBC, while a one-hour boycott of court proceedings from 11am to 12 noon would continue on a daily basis.