HYDERABAD Lawyers boycotted courts here Monday on the call of Supreme Court Bar Association while protesting against cancellation of professional license of President High Court Bar Association Peshawar, Lateef Afridi.

They wore black armbands and held a general body meeting in Hyderabad District Bar Association (HDBA) which was addressed by Abdul Sattar Kazi, president High Court Bar Association (HCBA). He condemned cancellation of license and warned the government not to test lawyers` patience. He demanded restoration of Latif Afridis license.

He came hard on what he said were advisers of the government like Sardar Latif Khosa, Farook Naek and Babar Awan, who were giving wrong advices. He demanded removal of these officials and said that government should undo the wrong done by Musharraf regime in the larger interest of the country.

Secretary HDBA Nisar Durrani said that people had expected that after February 18, the destiny of people would be changed and that Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry would be reinstated on his November 2, 2007 position. He said that it appeared that rulers are in fact surpassing Pervez Musharraf but they must know that people are ready to give from sacrifices.

A senior lawyer Zahoor A.Baloch urged independent forces and lawyers to continue their struggle with same vigour because it was always state which resorts to repressive measures to crush them. He said that lawyers were struggling for masses, who would only be the ultimate beneficiary of this struggle`s success.

He said that since government failed to defeat lawyers and doesn`t find itself in winning position, it was trying to buy loyalties of lawyers and cancel their licenses. He asked lawyers to continue the struggle for their own survival because they would live with dignity and honour.

Awami Tahreek`s Ayaz Latif Palejo said that reception given to deposed chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry in USA must make America`s think-tanks and those who matter there that it was Justice Chaudhry who represents people of Pakistan and not its current ruling elite.

He deplored that policies of Pervez Musharraf are continuing in present government. He reminded those who were betraying chief justice and lawyers that while history will always keep alive names of Justices Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Fakhruddin G.Ebrahim, Nasir Aslam Zahid, Dorab Patel and others but no one remembers who served as attorney general, advocate general or federal law minister.