The legal fraternity held its weekly protest rallies on Thursday with great anger against the PPP leadership for toppling democratic government in Punjab. Lawyers' during their daylong protest condemned the decision of Supreme Court against Sharif brothers by holding general house meetings, observing hunger strike and passing resolutions in favour of Sharifs.
The General House of Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) and Lahore Bar Association (LBA) passed a resolution against 'Governor Rule' in Punjab and declared it unconstitutional. On reaching GPO Chowk the LBA's rally was joined by lawyers of LHCBA led by its President, Anwar Kamal. Later, they marched towards Governor House while chanting slogans against President, Asif Ali Zardari and Punjab Governor, Salman Taseer.
Activists of the PML-N, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Pakhtoonkhawa Milli Awami Party, Khaksaar Tehreek, Muslim Student Federation and Jamaat-i-Islami also joined the lawyers' rally at the Mall.
A good number of lady lawyers also made their presence felt by chanting full-throat slogans against Zardari and Taseer for, what they called, hatching conspiracy against Sharif brothers and imposition of Governor Rule in the province. On reaching outside the Governor House, lawyers' leaders delivered speeches wherein they stressed the need to remain persistent on their resolve of holding long march and sit-in at the Constitutional Avenue, till restoration of the sacked chief justice.
They also condemned the Governor for playing havoc with the political government of Punjab and paralysing it to please the President Zardari. The LBA lawyers were much enthusiastic in showing their aggression against the PPP government by chanting slogans and making their speeches for the restoration of the judges.
After half an hour's stay outside the Governor House, the protesters peacefully dispersed and returned to their respective bars associations. Earlier, addressing the general house of the LHCBA, deposed judge of Supreme Court, Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday said that those nations, who reject justice to its people, loss their right to live.
Stressing upon the need of independent judiciary, he said only a free judiciary can safeguard the rights of citizens and protect the constitution from undemocratic forces. Justice Ramday tagged lawyers' movement as a movement for the establishment of rule of law and true democracy in Pakistan.
Justice Ramday, who had refused to take oath under Musharraf's Novmeber-03 PCO, urged the whole nation to leave drawing rooms and come out on roads to save the country from the clutches of undemocratic forces. Speaking to the occasion, the Secretary, LHCBA, Rana Asadullah Khan called Zardari a 'civil dictator' and said that Zardari has hijacked the PPP and occupied the President House at the cost of Benazir's blood. Condemning the governor rule in Punjab Rana Asadullah called it an attempt to divide the country.
The Central Secretary General, Awami National Party (ANP), Ehsan Wyne said that the Supreme Court by disqualifying Sharif brothers, has repeated its history, as it always supported the rulers. He termed it a political decision and it would cause serious threat to the federal government too.