The lawyers here in the metropolis took out a rally at Mall Road in protest against the suspension of Chief Justice Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. The rally was joined by political workers, human rights organisations, teachers, students and doctors associations.
The members of LHCBA and Lahore Bar Association (LBA) after their general body meetings reached at the main gate of the Lahore High Court. The workers of political parties including PML-N, PPP, MMA, Labour Party, Khaksaar Tehrik, Istiqlal Party, Awami National Party and Pakistan Qaumi Party also joined the rally.
The participants were holding banners, placards and chanting slogans against President General Musharraf, Chief Minister Punjab and Altaf Hussain. President Lahore High Court Bar Association Ehsan Bhon while addressing the lawyers in front of Punjab Assembly said that they would continue their peaceful protest until the rule of law, independence of judiciary and the revival of Chief Justice Pakistan.
The lawyers and other protesters later disbursed peacefully. The bar members returned to LHCBA premises where they sat in hunger strike camps, set up by Save Judiciary Committee and the bars. Earlier the bar in its meeting condemned the arrest of the political workers and called upon the government to release them forthwith. The bar also condemned the murder of Wasif Aziz of Jamiat and demanded of the government to register a criminal case against Altaf Hussain and Governor Sindh.