Lawyers lock city courts

The lawyers in the metropolis locked up the city courts on Tuesday to press for their demand for the restoration of deposed judges. The Lahore Bar Association members took this action after passing a unanimous resolution in this regard in a general house meeting of the bar and requested the Lahore High Court Bar Association to lock LHC courtrooms as well and if they don't do it till Thursday, the LBA would also take a decision in this regard.
Beside the presence of police in the court premises, lawyers did the 'job' with 'ease and comfort' and no one from official side resisted them while staff of some of the courts voluntarily locked their courts to avoid clash.
Though the LBA office-bearers had demonstrated locks in Thursday's rally and announced that they would lock courts if the deposed chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and others were not restored by November 3.
The situation was seemingly calmed down after the senior leadership of lawyers had restrained them from doing so. Asim Cheema, LBA senior vice president presided the Bar meeting and tabled a resolution to lock the courts. He said the LBA would follow the unanimous decision of the house despite advice by senior leadership.
Hundreds of lawyers chanting "boycott, boycott" came out of the barroom and marched to the court of Senior Civil Judge (SCJ) Zafaryab Chaddar. The protesting lawyers said they locked out the city courts as a last resort to press for their demand for the restoration of deposed judges. They were chanting slogans demanding independent judiciary and restoration of the remaining deposed judges including Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.
The SCJ who was hearing a case left the courtroom and lawyers put a lock on the door. The crowd then proceeded to other courts and locked all the 51 courtrooms. After finishing the job at civil courts, the mob proceeded to nearby sessions courts and locked 31 courts there as well including of sessions judge.
A bunch of lawyers also went to nearby district courts and forced the 15 judicial officers and staff to leave the courtrooms. Soon the court premises were presenting a deserted look. The lawyers at Cantt and Model Town Courts also halted the judicial work as they locked the 22 courts situated at both places. The litigants were surprised with the sudden move of lawyers, saying there are already suffering due to lawyers' boycott on Thursdays.
The senior lawyers also condemned the attempt, as they believe that it would tarnish lawyers' image in the public and they might lose masses' support. The policemen who brought under trial prisoners were confused whether they should take accused back to jail or wait for courts to be unlocked. The LBA office-bearers declared that they had locked courts and if the same were unlocked they would take the matter to general house again.