On the call of the National Co-ordination Council (NCC), the lawyers held their weekly rally to protest against government and demanded to restore the deposed judges.
The lawyers of the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) and Lahore Bar Association (LBA) after holding their general house meetings at their respective bar rooms, gathered at the GPO chowk, with participation of political and civil society activists and marched towards Chairing Cross while chanting slogans against the government and in favour of sacked chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.
Meanwhile, the activists of political parties were also chanting slogans in favour of their respective leadership. On the occasion lawyers' leaders delivered speeches and pledged to continue their movement till the restoration pre-November 3, 2007 judiciary. After staying for half an hour, the protesters dispersed peacefully.
During the demonstration clash between the activists of PML-N and All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA) were observed, as the later chanted slogans against the PML-N leadership. Activists of Jamat-e-Islami, Pakhtoon Khawa Milli Awami Party, Tehrik-e-Insaf, Tehrik-e-Khaksar, and Awami Peoples Party also joined the lawyers rally and outnumbered them.
Earlier, speakers at the General House meeting of the Lahore High Court Bar Thursday said, lawyers movement has become a movement for the freedom of Pakistan. The speakers included Secretary of the Bar Rana Asadullah Khan, Mian Naseer Ahmad, Wali Muhammad Khan, Khadim Hussain Qaiser, Raja Zulqurnain, and Hafiz Abdul Rahman Ansari.
They said initially lawyers' movement aimed at restoration of the judiciary, but it has converted to the movement for the independence of Pakistan. The main purpose of the movement to develop solidarity and unity among people against those forces who have intention to disintegrate the country and allowed foreigners to destroy the territorial integrity of the state.
The speakers vowed to continue the movement so long as judiciary gets independence and the country has rule of law through the reinstatement of Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary and others. They said Justice Chaudhary was not only the name of an individual, instead he has become a symbol of independent judiciary.