KARACHI, Dec 12: While the Sindh High Court Bar Association (SCHBA) decided on Wednesday to resist the recent changes made in the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act by a presidential ordinance, the legal fraternity announced its intention to observe a complete boycott of court proceedings at the City Courts and the Malir District Courts on Thursday (today), in response to the Pakistan Bar Council’s call.

The president of the Karachi Bar Association, Iftikhar Javed Qazi, told Dawn that lawyers would take out a procession from the Sindh High Court building to the Karachi Press Club. “The one-hour boycott of court proceedings will continue every day,” he added.

Meanwhile, an SCHBA resolution described the presidential ordinance changing the Legal Practitioners and Bar Council Act as a mala fide attempt to curtail the autonomy of the legal profession. Urging the bar councils to continue exercising their disciplinary powers, the resolution rejected the transfer of this authority to the superior courts, particularly when they were manned by judges who took oath under the Provisional Constitution Order. The conferment of appellate powers on the attorney-general was also rejected. The resolution reiterated its decision to boycott ‘all courts’ on Dec 13 and thereafter on every Thursday and hold a demonstration within the SHC premises.