PESHAWAR, March 8: The lawyers community in the provincial capital observed a black day against the Legal Framework Order (LFO) and they asked the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take retirement after attaining his pre-LFO retirement age on Saturday.

A general body meeting of the Peshawar High Court Bar Association (PHCBA) was also held in connection with the ‘black day’ which unanimously passed a resolution, condemning the enhancement in the retirement age of the superior courts judges and the LFO.

The meeting, presided over by the vice-chairman of the association Shahabuddin Barq, criticized the judiciary for becoming a part of the power-sharing along with the military rulers.

The lawyers also observed boycott from proceedings in different courts from 11.00am till 12.00 noon. They had tied black bands around their arms. Banners were displayed at the high court and sessions court, carrying different slogans including “LFO not acceptable” and “3 years increase in retirement age of judges is a bribe.”

The black day was observed on the call of Pakistan Bar Association and Supreme Court Bar Association.

Those who spoke at the meeting were Barrister Baachaa, president of Peshawar District Bar Association, Sher Afgan Khattak, secretary-general of the PHCBA, Syed Attique Shah, Mian Younas Shah, Moazzam Butt and others.

It was reiterated that it would be in the interest of independence of judiciary that those judges should take retirement who have reached superannuation in accordance with the original articles of the Constitution of 1973.

It was emphasised that March 8 had purposely been selected for observing black day as on this day the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Sheikh Riaz reached his age of superannuation as maintained in the 1973 Constitution.

The chief justice was asked by the speakers to take retirement for saving his judicial status. A unanimous resolution was adopted whereby the LFO was rejected in totality.