The legal fraternity-an integral part of judiciary has once again stood for the supremacy of the constitution and announced nation-wide strike and boycott of courts on Monday (today) declaring steps taken by the government regarding appointment of superior court judges contradictory to the constitution.
National Co-ordination Council (NCC) of the legal fraternity denounced the presidential order and said "lawyers fully support the verdict of the judiciary to suspend the presidential order for the appointment of the judges." On Saturday the apex court in a late night hearing had suspended the notification of President Asif Ali Zardari appointing certain judges. The NCC of the lawyers, which was formed two years ago during the lawyers' movement for restoration of judges, held its meeting in the Rawalpindi High Court bar premises.
The forum had earlier given a call for strike in support of the judges, particularly the Chief Justice and against the delay by the government in appointing judges as per the recommendation of the Chief Justice. The strike call was later called off amid differences within the lawyers' community.
The announcement of boycotting the courts was made by, Qazi Muhammad Anwer, president Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) after the NCC meeting. We will not back down from our movement, he said, while dispelling any controversy on leadership amongst the legal fraternity. He said that the lawyers would observe the solidarity day on February 18, and all bar Associations would observe strike that day.
Qazi Anwer also announced to hold a convention at Constitution Avenue on March 9, the day Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was sacked by former military dictator Pervez Musharraf in 2007. He said that the undue delay on the matter from the government is highly deplorable. 'We demand the government to appoint trust worthy and talented judges in all the high courts as early as possible', he stressed.
Qazi Anwer said that the legal fraternity salutes Justice Khawaja Sharif and Justice Saqib Nisar for taking firm stand on the issue of their appointments and announcing for not taking oath without the consultation of CJP.
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