LAHORE, June 25: In an unscheduled move, the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) took to The Mall in protest against the decision of the LHC against the candidature of Pakistan Muslim League-N’s Nawaz Sharif.
Lawyers, including PML-N Lawyers Forum people, burnt copies of the orders of the LHC bench that barred Mr Sharif from contesting elections for NA-123. The bar held the demo after lawyer Munsif Awan sought discussion over the verdict at the LHCBA general house meeting.
Lawyers marched up to GPO Chowk, raising slogans against judges and President Pervez Musharraf.
LHCBA President Anwar Kamal said lawyers’ movement aimed at restoring the rule of law and supremacy of the constitution. He added PCO judges should demonstrate patriotism and resign from their office in “national interest”.
Former LHCBA president Ahmad Awais said lawyers should not feel the long march lost its objective or be apologetic about its end.
He said the turnout at the march proved that people wanted Gen Musharraf to quit. Besides, lawyers proved that the top issue was the restoration of the judges deposed on
Nov 3.
Pakistan Bar Council member Hafiz Abdur Rehman Ansari said lawyers would neither accept restoration of the judges through a constitutional package nor an increase in the number of Supreme Court judges. He asked lawyers to seek Musharraf’s ouster because he was the biggest obstacle in the way of the restoration of the judges.
inviteS Nawaz: Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) has decided to invite PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif to address the bar.
The decision was made in the general house meeting of the LHCBA on Wednesday at Kiyani Hall.
LHCBA secretary Rana Asadullah Khan said he would send an invitation to Mr Sharif who would address the bar within a couple of months.
Demo: Lawyers, students, activists and political party workers joined in a small protest for the restoration of the judiciary at the Lahore Press Club on Wednesday.
They raised slogans against the PPP’s proposed constitutional package and a 29-member Supreme Court.
Saeeda Diep, of the Institute of Peace and Secular Studies (IPSS), which organised the demonstration, said: “The people of this country used their vote to show their support for the judiciary.
The long march reiterated their aspirations and we can’t understand why the delaying tactics are continuing. A section of civil society is now discussing acts of civil disobedience as the next step.”
Members of the Concerned Citizens for Pakistan (CCP), Lahore High Court Bar Association Vice-President Mian Aslam and Khakhsar Tehrik President Hameeduddin Mashriqi were also present.
