LAHORE, May 13: High court bar associations’ representatives have praised Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) Quaid Nawaz Sharif for quitting the federal cabinet, but criticised Pakistan People’s Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari for delaying the restoration of judges.

Representatives told a press conference at the Karachi Shuhada Hall of the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) on Tuesday they had formed a Joint Action Committee to organise lawyers' organisations in districts to reinvigorate the movement for the restoration of judges.

LHCBA President Anwar Kamal said the committee had been formed for a better coordination with all bar associations. Mr Kamal will be the committee chairman for three months while other presidents of three LHC benches will rotate the slot.

Rawalpindi High Court Bar Association Secretary Malik Muhammad Siddique Awan said Mr Zardari had twice betrayed people by not honouring his promise to restore the judges.

The LHCBA president said any decision regarding Supreme Court Bar Association President Aitzaz Ahsan's announcement to contest by-election from a Rawalpindi constituency might be decided by the all Pakistan lawyers' convention scheduled here on May 17.

He said he hoped the government would not leave the deposed judges in the lurch. He said lawyers were not being funded by anybody and were paying for all expenses incurred on the movement from their own pocket.

Multan HCBA President Mehmood Ashraf Khan, Secretary Muhammad Rana Naveed, Bahawalpur HCBA President Muhammad Aslam, secretary Muhammad Umair Hassan and Rawalpindi HCBA secretary Malik Muhammad Siddique Awan were also present.