LAHORE, Sept 27: A complete boycott of court proceedings — both at the Lahore High Court and the lower courts — followed by fiery speeches and later a rally on The Mall marked the lawyers’ protest against the submission of nomination papers of Gen Pervez Musharraf for his re-election as the president of Pakistan.

After attending speeches, laden with scathing criticism of Gen Musharraf and some of his other army colleagues, the lawyers emerged from the Karachi Shuhada Hall of the Lahore High Court Bar Association and took to The Mall.

On their way to The Mall, it was a brief break from the sloganeering for several lawyers, who noticed two children - barely five years or so, peeping out of a window of one of the quarters of the high court - chanting the most chanted one-liner: ‘Go Musharraf Go’.

LHCBA President Ahsan Bhoon, former presidents Hafiz Abdul Rehman Ansari and Ahmad Awais and Asma Jehangir, Chairperson of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan were also among the marchers.

Just when the lawyers approached the LHC gate, their slogans peaked at the sight of their colleagues coming towards them in the form of a rally led by Lahore Bar Association President Syed Muhammad Shah from Aiwan-i-Adl. Before converging on the LHC gate, the lawyers vent their anger at President Gen Musharraf by burning his effigy at Neela Gumbad Chowk.

Several lawyers from the high court clapped and shook hands with their colleagues at the lower courts in a visible gesture of a warm welcome that made the talk about differences among the community look like a mere trifle.

The marchers then proceeded towards the Regal Chowk, carrying banners inscribed with slogans against Gen Musharraf and the US — ‘friends of the US are traitors’.

Accompanying the lawyers from Lahore Bar, were the workers of Pakistan Labour Party and members of civil society, including Shahtaj Qizalbash, the convener of the Joint Action Committee.

When the rally halted at the Regal Chowk, some lawyers wanted to carry on and conclude it in front of the Assembly Hall. Ahsan Bhoon said the lawyers should stick to their earlier decision in the House that they would return from Regal Chowk. Before the argument could have lingered, Syed Muhammad Shah intervened, stating the Lahore Bar Association would abide by the LHCBA plan.

Bhoon said the lawyers would also observe a black day on May 29 — the day Gen Musharraf’s papers would be scrutinised. Shah appealed to political parties to join hands with lawyers and rid the country of Musharraf regime.

He said the lawyers’ community wanted to tell the judiciary that it was united and would not flinch till achievement of its goal.

Asked why he has joined the lawyers’ rally, a Bhatta Mazdoor Union’s representative said the commonality of interest had brought him to join hands with lawyers. He said the non-implementation of the law regulating the rights of the labour class outlived a generation.

“Unless the law rules and courts work independently, we will not be able to get our rights,” he said.

Earlier, addressing the LHCBA General House, Asma Jehangir advocate said the second phase of lawyers’ movement, just like the first one, was novel in nature and enjoyed masses’ support. She said lawyers in Karachi had to suffer the worst form of state aggression and they did not even once resort to violence.

She said Gen Musharraf could not even go to the Election Commission of Pakistan to submit his nomination papers because he was afraid of the lawyers’ movement. She said the generals had plundered the country and were looking for way out of the crisis.

She said lawyers formed an institution, which believed in democracy, rule of law and independence of judiciary.

Bhoon said the lawyers should not be under any illusion regarding the status of judiciary, which was still to achieve its independence.

Hafiz Abdul Rehman Ansari, former president of LHCBA, condemned the Attorney General of Pakistan Malik Muhammad Qayyum for trying to divide lawyers. He said the more unity the lawyers maintained, the more effective their struggle against dictatorship would be.

Ehsan Wyne of the Awami National Party said the country came into existence as a result of a movement and the army had no role in it. He claimed the second phase of lawyers’ movement would prove to be the last phase for Gen Musharraf.

He lashed out at Gen Musharraf’s aides, stating they should be ashamed of themselves for supporting a dictator. He urged political parties to make provision of basic necessities like ‘roti’ a part of their manifesto because the regime could not even provide them with wheat flour.

Wali Muhammad Khan advocate said the lawyers’ struggle was for peace, which would only be achieved when army returned to barracks.

Khurram Khosa advocate said the lawyers’ movement was about people and they would make sure that they made a common man feel significant. Tayyaba Zamir Qureshi advocate said all eyes were on lawyers because people see them as messiahs.