HYDERABAD, Nov 4: The Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party has called for a strike on Thursday and the Sindh Bar Council (SBC) has announced a three-day boycott in protest against imposition of emergency.
In Hyderabad, acting chairman of STP Dr Abdul Hameed Memon said at a meeting held after the arrest of party chairman Dr. Qadir Magsi that dismissal of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, suspension of fundamental rights and Dr Magsi’s arrest were tantamount to war on democracy, human rights and Constitution.
The meeting decided to observe the strike on Nov 8 and support the black day to be observed by lawyers on Monday and devise a strategy for the restoration of democracy in consultation with democratic parties and allies including the APDM, PONAM and PPP. A local leader of PML-N Sultan Shaikh demanded at a news conference at the press club demanded that all the arrested leaders should be released.
Leader of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal Sahibzada Abul Khair Mohammad Zubair said in a press statement that imposition of emergency was a ploy against general elections as the government was afraid of defeat.
He said instead of accepting its failure the government was blaming the judiciary but people knew who had made proclaimed offenders allies in coalition government, withdrew cases against them and provided protection to the plunderers of national wealth.
In Mirpurkhas, the Sindh Bar Council which met here on Sunday condemned imposition of emergency and demanded its withdrawal without delay, reinstatement of Chief Justice Mr. Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and other dismissed judges. It decided to boycott court proceedings for three days from Nov 5.
The lawyers said that the emergency and ban on media would harm the country and sabotage political process. They said that deviation from constitution was not solution of crisis.
The Mirpurkhas chapter of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) staged a demonstration demanding reinstatement of CJP and other judges, withdrawal of emergency and ban on media and appealed to the government to release detained political activists.
In Nawabshah, Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, secretary of the District Bar Association, condemned the imposition of emergency and arrest of Supreme Court Bar Association president Aitzaz Ahsan and other lawyers in different parts of the country.
The acting president of the Nawabshah chapter of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Ghulam Qadir Chandio, voiced protest against emergency and termed it marshal law with a new name.
It was business as usual in the city with no reports of any reaction to the government’s move from any part. The administration, too, had not deployed extra police force or personnel of other law enforcement agencies in the city. Sources said that police would soon crack down on the active DBA members as well as opposition parties.
In Naushahro Feroze, activists of Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz staged a demonstration in protest against the imposition of emergency and demanded release of Dr Safdar Sarki.
Activists announced that strike would be observed in Moro on Monday. JSQM activists in Padidan also announced complete shutter-down strike on Monday.