LAHORE, March 21: Hundreds of lawyers in the city on Friday boycotted the Lahore High Court and the subordinate courts’ proceedings to slate the US strike against Iraq, and took out a rally on The Mall despite a ban on rallies imposed by the district government.

The Lahore High Court Bar Association, Supreme Court Bar Association, Pakistan Bar Council, Lahore Bar Council and the Punjab Bar Council had given a one-day countrywide call for strike.

A majority of the lawyers did not turn up to plead their cases. However, the LHC heard some urgent matters, including bail applications and habeas corpus petitions, till 10:30am. As they joined their protesting colleagues, the courtrooms wore a deserted look.

The LHCBA and the LBA took out a rally on The Mall, with heavy police contingents guarding against any untoward incident. In a rush of blood, the protesters tore the banners of President Gen Pervez Musharraf displayed on both sides of The Mall in connection with the Pakistan Day celebrations. They also burnt these banners and broke bottles of an American beverage company on the road.

They were not cautious while chanting slogans against the president, prime minister and foreign minister for their ‘failure’ to adopt a clear stance on the current crisis. The policemen tried to stop the participants from going past the Regal chowk, but they managed to reach the Faisal chowk where their heads delivered speeches.

LHCBA President Hafiz Abdul Rahman Ansari said the country’s lawyers would stand by the Iraqis and condemn the US attacks. He demanded President Pervez Musharraf to resign from his office for what he called his vague foreign policy on the Iraq issue.

He reiterated the LHCBA’s demand that the prime minister should cancel his upcoming visit to the US. He concluded his speech by urging the people to boycott the US-made products.

Giving vent to his feelings, LBA President Mansoorur Rahman Afridi said the lawyers had rejected the US aggression against Iraq. He added that the US would have to face the attack’s repercussions.

He accused the US of violating the international laws and turning a deaf ear to the world’s appeal to avoid aggression.