Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Ali Ahmed Kurd on Thursday said that lawyers' long march would continue till restoration of all judges. Kurd was addressing the Lahore Bar Association (LBA) general house meeting before lawyers weekly protest rally against the government for not restoring the sacked judges of the superior courts.
He also urged fellow lawyers to ensure the rule of law and restoration of all the sacked judges. The LHCBA general house, carrying a unanimous resolution, condemned alleged torture on lawyers by Airport Security Force at Lahore airport on January 24 at the arrival of former Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. The resolution demanded stern action against the responsible.
While addressing the LHCBA general house meeting, Rana Asadullah Khan appealed to the lawyers and civil society activists to donate in the fund established for long march and indefinite sit-in. Later, Lahore High Court Bar Association, Supreme Court Bar Association and Lahore Association held a combine rally from Aiwan-e-Adal courts to Chairing Cross in leadership of Ali Ahmed Kurd, Anwar Kamal and Rana Zia Abdul Rehman.
Lawyers' rally was also joined by activists of Pakistan Muslim League-N, Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI), Terhrik-e-Khaksar, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), Awami People Party, Women Action Forum and Labour Party. Workers of political parties were holding their particular flags and were chanting slogans in favour of the sacked CJ Iftikhar Chaudhry and against the government.
Reaching Charing Cross the lawyers' leaders delivered speeches wherein they stressed the need to remain persistent on their resolve of giving sit-in at Constitutional Avenue till restoration of the sacked chief justice. LBA lawyers were much enthusiastic in showing their aggression against the government by chanting slogans and making speeches for restoration of the judges.
LHCBA lawyers were holding a large piece of white cloth to have signatures from masses in favour of their movement, which they announced to present to the parliament in the end of their Long March on March 9 after having 10 million signatures on it. After half an hour's stay at Chairing Cross, the protesters peacefully dispersed and the traffic on the Mall came back to normalcy.