LAHORE, Oct 1: The Punjab Bar Council has announced that lawyers would not pay the rent of the chambers in the district courts compound.

The announcement was made by the PBC after its general body meeting presided over by vice-chairman Ramzan Chaudhry.

The meeting was told that the Board of Revenue was sending notices to the lawyers to pay rent of the chambers along with arrears. The council decided to approach the Punjab governor, chief secretary and home secretary for the withdrawal of notices and a request for construction of more chambers for the lawyers.

The PBC condemned registration of a case against a Gujranwala lawyer, Pervez Ahmad Othi, for alleged kidnapping of a police constable and demanded cancellation of the FIR within seven days. It would give a strike call if the demand was not accepted. A sit-in could also be staged in front of the office of the Punjab IGP.

The council decided to send a delegation to meet the Punjab governor on Oct 5 for receiving a cheque for Rs1 million for the PBC library and know the progress in respect of the PBC building. It was pointed out that the PBC had spent Rs.20 million from its resources for the purchase of land for constructing a building.