LAHORE, May 22: Lawyers on Thursday castigated their all-time ally PML-N, which claims to be a champion of the cause of the independent judiciary, and also warned other political parties for ‘dillydallying’ on the restoration of the judges deposed on Nov 3.

“I just want to make it clear to the PML-N that its lip service will not serve the purpose,” Lahore Bar Association President Manzoor Qadir said while addressing protesters outside the Punjab Assembly.

“They (PML-N workers) need to come out and protest along lawyers.”

Mr Qadir’s remarks came minutes after Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah vowed before the general house of the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) the PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif stood true to the revival of the pre-emergency judiciary at any cost.

Mr Qadir said political parties, which ignored the aspirations of people, would face public wrath. He said all political parties must disassociate themselves from Pervez Musharraf and join the movement for the restoration of judges.

Mr Qadir led some 1,000 young lawyers from Aiwan-i-Adl, who joined their peers from the Lahore High Court Bar Association outside General Post Office crossing. Present among protesters were the workers of the Communist Mazdoor Kisan Party.

The presence of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf workers was visible who chanted slogans against the US for interfering in the domestic affairs of the country. Representatives of the Concerned Citizens of Pakistan and activists of Jamat-i-Islami and Jamiat-i-Ulema Pakistan were also present.

The number of protesters was more than those in the last few rallies because of lawyers’ efforts to create an atmosphere for long march on Islamabad on June 10. Almost 2,000 protesters, holding placards, banners and posters, inscribed with slogans against PCO judges and in favour of deposed judges reached Charing Cross.

LHCBA President Anwar Kamal thanked protesters for making the rally a success and urged his colleagues to make the May 24 meeting in Faisalabad a big show, where (deposed) Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry would address the bar.

Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) member Hamid Khan said lawyers’ movement had reached a decisive phase and lawyers needed to use their energy to achieve their goal. He added people were not with Musharraf or Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar but with the lawyers and their movement.Earlier, addressing the general house of the LHCBA, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said those who believed that Gen Musharraf could be removed from power step by step were wrong.

He said the PML-N could scarify its Punjab government but would never block lawyers from taking their movement forward.