LAHORE, Jan 7: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had to cut short his speech at a function of the Lahore Bar Association on Saturday in the face of heckling and booing by a group of lawyers.

As soon as Mr Gilani was invited to address the gathering at Alhamra Hall, the lawyers unleashed a torrent of abuse against President Asif Zardari and slogans in favour of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry.

For some time, Mr Gilani ignored the barracking and even summoned the courage to hit back: “We are not scared nor we bow to a critical situation.”

But the incessant noise drowned out his words for a large part of the audience, finally forcing the prime minister to wind up his address.

In the speech, Mr Gilani said the People’s Party was in favour of early elections, adding in a lighter vein that “we like election festivities”.

“The PPP fought for independence of the judiciary and restoration of democracy. The people who accused my party of disrespecting state institutions are under misconception,” the prime minister said.

He said the time had gone when there was no supremacy of the Constitution and the media was under curbs.

“We are guardians of the Constitution and respect constitutional institutions,” Mr Gilani asserted.

He announced allocation of land for a lawyers’ housing colony and 10 per cent quota for free education at all educational institutions run by the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB).

However, the announcement was not enough to stop the lawyers from their sloganeering, which went on even after the prime minister had left the place.

Soon after the end of Mr Gilani’s speech, LBA president Shahzad Hasan Sheikh asked the lawyers to now enjoy a musical evening.

However, the musical function, too, descended into a farce as shouting by the men in black drove away a troupe of dancers.

APP adds: The prime minister said the PPP government would overcome the energy shortfall by exploiting Thar coal reserves, adding that a breakthrough had already been made.

“PPP founder Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto gave the unanimous Constitution of 1973 and Benazir Bhutto made the country’s defence invincible through the missile technology,” he said.

Mr Gilani said that the PPP was a federal party having roots in all the provinces, Fata and AJK.

“I congratulate President Asif Ali Zardari because his prime minister has been invited to address the largest bar association of Asia,” he said.

Reiterating the commitment of the PPP to continue to work for the solidarity of the country, he said he could not be cowed down by the prevailing situation.

Punjab Governor Sardar Latif Khan Khosa also spoke at the function. Evacuee Trust Property Board Chairman Syed Asif Hashmi and Khurram Latif Khosa were present on the occasion.