The District Bar Council Jamshoro on Saturday held a protest demonstration against suspension of Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. President District Bar Council Jamshoro M M Shoro and General Secretary Riazat Ali Sahar led the demonstration.
Earlier, a protest meeting was held. Speaking on the occasion, M M Shor vehemently condemned the act of suspension of the CJP. He demanded authorities to restore the CJP. Riazat Sahar said Justice Iftikhar was an able and responsible person. He termed the incident an addition of a black chapter in the history of Pakistan.
About 100 association members led by Bar President Sallahuddin Panhwar marched through various roads in the city and reached the press club. They also boycotted the proceedings of courts. They protesters, carrying placards and banners, were chanting slogans against the government.
Addressing the rally, Sallahuddin Panhwar, Ali Hassan Chandio, Aziz Memon and Dost Mohammad said that there was no freedom of judiciary in the country and the suspension of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry was another proof in this connection.
The meeting was presided over by DBA President Muhammad Iqbal Harrar. Hundreds of the protesting lawyers strongly criticised the government in this regard and termed this step as a conspiracy to weaken the country's supreme judiciary.
The lawyers also unanimously passed several condemnation resolutions, asking the government to provide chance to Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry for clearing his point of view. The lawyers boycotted the courts as protest against it.
After boycott of courts by lawyers, judges went to their chambers and no case was heard. The meeting was attended by large number of lawyers, which was presided by Allah Bachayo Soomro Secretary High Court Bar Association and Shaikh Aziz President of Hyderabad District Bar Association.
Hyderabad Lawyers Wing also held separate meeting, which was chaired by Ghulam Qadir Siyal. The lawyers criticised the arbitrary suspension of CJP through an executive order and said that it was an unconstitutional step taken by President General Musharraf. Later, token hunger strike was observed by lawyers led by senior advocate Rasool Bux Palijo and joined among others by Ghulam Qadir Siyal, Aleem Arain, Ayaz Latif and Abdul Haq Qureshi.
The demand was made by President High Court Bar Association Shakil Ahmad Hadi Advocate while addressing a demonstration in front of Balochistan Assembly here Saturday. Earlier lawyers staged a demonstration in front of Quetta Press Club. They also tried to go to Governor House but police stopped them.
Mohsin Javaid Advocate, Ashraf Sulehri Advocate, Sohail Rajput Advocate, Sakhi Sultan Advocate, Senator Kamran Murtaza Advocate and hundreds of other lawyers attended. Lawyers also boycotted courts all over Balochistan today. No proceeding was held at the district courts, session courts, anti terrorism court, high court.