Bars charged up after Islamabad violence
GUJRANWALA, Sept 29: Bars across Punjab boycotted courts, held meetings and took out rallies on Saturday in a charged atmosphere to condemn President Gen Musharraf’s bid for re-election and police action against lawyers and journalists in Islamabad.
In Gujranwala, lawyers gathered in the bar room when they heard reports that their colleagues were being roughed up in Islamabad and held a meeting with bar president Ilyas Rehan in chair and demanded action against responsible police officers.
Later, they took out a rally and paraded on Sialkot and Sessions Court roads and chanted slogans against government and police. They put traffic out of gear on Sialkot Road by burning used tyres.
The bar president and general secretary announced that all lawyers would observe strike after 10am on Monday. They said that apex court’s verdict on Friday had disappointed a majority of the Pakistanis.
BAHAWALPUR: Local lawyers boycotted courts and condemned violence against lawyers and mediamen.
They abstained from courts due to which inconvenience was caused to litigants coming from far-flung areas to attend their cases.
The general bodies of two bars – district and high court – in their separate meetings condemned the violence against lawyers and journalists. A resolution was adopted expressing dismay over the Supreme Court verdict.
The bar members pledged that they would move the Supreme Court and challenge nine-member larger bench’s verdict.
SAHIWAL: Bar members boycotted courts and took out a rally.
Addressing participants, DBA president Sheikh Muhamamd Usman, Secretary Mian Islamul Haq strongly condemned the police atrocities.
They demanded suspension of Islamabad police IG and formation of an independent Election Commission.
Meanwhile, local union of journalists and the action committee of the local Press Club announced to observe Sunday as black day and boycott all official activities in Sahiwal.
TOBA TEK SINGH: DBA members observed complete strike on Saturday to register its protest against Musharraf’s election bid.
A protest meeting was also held in the district courts complex where bar office-bearers and senior lawyers criticised the Supreme Court decision and termed it `destruction of the independence of judiciary’ gained after great struggle.
Gojra and Kamalia bar associations members also observed complete strike.
KASUR: Lawyers of Kasur, Pattoki and Chunnian observed a complete boycott and took out rallies.
More than 300 DBA members took out a rally here and blocked the Ferozepur Road. Speaking on the occasion, DBA president Ch Munir Ahmed and others condemned Islamabad police action and vowed to follow the Punjab Bar Council’s campaign against Musharraf.
Later, the lawyers marched up to the DPO office.
VEHARI: Local lawyers and those in adjoining towns observed protest day to condemn acceptance of Gen Musharraf’s nomination papers and the Islamabad police brutality.
Meanwhile, a meeting was held here at the local press club where media correspondents passed a resolution against the police action against their colleagues in Islamabad.
LAYYAH: The DBA boycotted court proceedings on Saturday on the call on Pakistan and Punjab Bar councils.
DBA general sectary Murtaza Khan strongly condemned police torture of lawyers and journalists.
Local journalists also held a meeting and decided to take out a rally on Sunday (today).
Reports of court boycott and protest rallies also came from Gujrat, Multan and other cities.
Source: Dawn
Date:9/30/2007
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