KARACHI, April 25: Lawyers renewed their pledge to continue the campaign for independence of judiciary on Wednesday and announced that a complete strike would be observed on May 2 when Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry will make his seventh appearance before the Supreme Judicial Council in Islamabad to face the reference filed against him by President General Musharraf.
In protest against the suspension of chief justice, lawyers in the City Courts stayed away from the courts proceedings from 10.30am to 11.30am and held a general body meeting, which was addressed by Karachi Bar Association General Secretary Naeem Qureshi, Treasure Naseer Abbasi, Shahadat Awan and Comrade Riaz.
The KBA office-bearers said no lawyer would take part in the courts proceedings on May 2 as a part of the ongoing campaign against the General Musharraf act of suspending the chief justice. They said all judges should take it as a matter of their honour. “The action against judges, lawyers and journalists exposed all tall claims of the rulers regarding free press, independent judiciary and freedom of expression. It is a time that all professionals, politicians and other members of the civil society should join hands against the dictatorial regime,” they said.
They said the rulers wanted to subjugate judiciary and give dictations. They said lawyers were united to fight for ensuring an independent judiciary in the county. They said only independent judiciary could ensure protection of life, property and honour of the people.
The government was trying to provoke lawyers and sabotage the peaceful campaign at all costs, they said adding that registration of the FIRs against lawyers was a part of the pressure tactics used by the government. “However, we are peaceful and would remain peaceful but we will not tolerate any illegal action of the government,” they said.
The lawyers appreciated all the political parties, traders’ federations, Pakistan Medical Association, labour unions, and media persons for supporting the rally on April 24.
Later, Naeem Qureshi said a meeting of the KBA Managing Committee would be held to discuss the matter of political parties’ participation in the lawyers’ rally on May 2. He asked all the democracy-loving people to raise their voice for independence of judiciary and strengthen democratic institutions in the country.
Meanwhile, KBA members Abdul Fateh Sheikh, Zakir Hussein Pirzada, Jahangir Abbas Mangi, S.A. Abbasi, Athar Ali Memon, Manzoor Ahmed Kalohro, Asadullah Lashary and Mir Amjad Baloch observed a token hunger strike in the City Courts.
The Malir Bar Association members boycotted court proceedings from 10.30am to 11.30am. Nasir Raza, Nisar Ahmed, Naeem Ahmed and Rana Shah Mohammad of the Malir Bar Association observed a token hunger strike in the bar room. The association’s president Zahoor Hussein Mehar said the lawyers would observe complete strike on May 2 and hold a rally against the suspension of chief justice. He said the mode of protest would be discussed in the next few days.