ISLAMABAD, Jan 28: Pakistan Bar Council vice-president Mirza Aziz Akbar Baig has called upon lawyers and bar associations to hold rallies on the ‘Iftikhar Day’ to be observed on a call given by the Sindh High Court Bar Association on Jan 31.

In a directive issued here on Monday, the PBC leader said: “The legal fraternity reiterates to continue its struggle for the restoration of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and all other judges of the Supreme Court as well as the high courts who have refused to take the oath under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) being illegal and unconstitutional.

“The legal fraternity will hold rallies, meetings and demonstrations in all cities of the country while speeches will be made in offices of bar associations saluting and highlighting steadfastness shown by Justice Iftikhar for the cause of independence of judiciary, upholding the Constitution and the rule of law,” Mirza Baig told Dawn.

“We have to make the day a permanent feature by observing it every year in case our struggle failed in its goals,” he said.

He said the legal fraternity would continue the fight resolutely to achieve the pre-emergency judiciary.

Mr Baig, who plans to lead a rally in Multan, said Sindh High Court Bar Association president Rasheed A. Razvi had proposed the observance of ‘Iftikhar Day’. “We are just implementing the idea,” he said.