HYDERABAD, Feb 11: Lawyers boycotted courts across the province on Monday in response to a call for protest given by Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) against continued confinement of judges and lawyer leaders and Saturday’s police action against rights activists in Islamabad.

In Hyderabad, lawyers staged a rally, which marched to Hyder Chowk from the Civil Courts and back. Lawyers’ leaders Abdul Sattar Kazi, Allah Bachayo Soomro, Abdul Aziz Shaikh and Abdul Khaliq Leghari demanded in their speeches reinstatement of all the deposed judges and said that an independent judiciary was the need of the hour.They called for release of Aitzaz Ahsan, Tariq Mehmood and Ali Ahmed Kurd and vowed to continue struggle for the independence of judiciary.

In Sanghar, lawyers boycotted courts and vowed to continue protest till the restoration of deposed judges. The president of District Bar Association, Anwar Mehmood Nizamani, said that the DBA would continue boycott till Feb 18.

In Naushahro Feroze, lawyers boycotted courts in Naushahro Feroze, Moro, Bhirya Road and Kandiaro and staged processions in protest against continued house arrest of chief justice and lawyers. Abdul Salam Luhrani and Arbab Ali Chandio led the rally in Nausharo Feroze.

In Khairpur, lawyers gathered outside the DBA office after boycotting courts and raised slogans in favour of deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Choudhry and other judges.

In Sukkur, lawyers boycotted courts and staged a demonstration in protest against incarceration of deposed judges and lawyers.

In Nawabshah, Mirpurkhas and Umerkot also, DBA members boycotted courts and announced the DBAs would continue their boycott till Feb 18.