Lawyers in Lahore took out their weekly protest rallies despite section 144 imposed by the Punjab government to keep the masses away from the long march and sit-in to be staged at Constitutional Avenue. As the long march started from Karachi and Quetta on Thursday the lawyers as per schedule marched through Mall Road and later assembled at Chairing Cross to protest against the government for not restoring the deposed judges.
Surprisingly, the lawyers violated Section 144, but the law enforcers took no action against them as witnessed in other parts of the Punjab districts. Before the lawyers rallies, IGP Punjab visited the office of Chief Justice Lahore High Court and spent sometime in his chamber. The visit suggested that police had been stopped from using force against lawyers.
Two rallies were taken out in the city peacefully one by Lahore Bar Association (LBA) and second by Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA). After hearing the address of Aitzaz Ahsan the lawyers of LBA came out from Aiwan-e-Adal and started marching on Lower Mall while chanting slogans against President Asif Ali Zardari for not honouring the accord to restore former Chief Justice Iftikhar and other deposed judges.
The rally led by Aitzaz Ahsan were joined by the lawyers of LHCBA at GPO Chowk and started a joint march on the Mall Road. It was expected that due to massive crackdown against political workers and lawyers, the Thursdays rallies could not have active participation but despite all the threats the lawyers staged a good show and made their presence felt aggressively.
A large number of workers of political parties and civil society organisations also took part in the lawyers rallies chanting slogans against the imposition of section 144 in the province. Activists of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Jamat-e-Islami (JI) and Khaksaar Tehreek were among the protestors holding their partys flags.
A number of lady lawyers and women civil society organisations were also witnessed in the rally while chanting slogans at the top of their lungs against President Asif Ali Zardari and Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer. It was witnessed that the imposition of section 144 ahead of lawyers long march and sit-in infused more enthusiasm into black-coats striving for the restoration of judiciary.
While passing through the Mall Road the passers by and onlookers praised lawyers for holding protest against undemocratic steps of PPP government and expressed solidarity with them. On reaching Chairing Cross (Punjab Assembly) the lawyers leaders delivered speeches wherein they reiterated their pledge of holding long march and giving sit-in at Constitutional Avenue till restoration of sacked judges.
As the LBA lawyers were much enthusiastic in showing their aggression against government by chanting slogans, they tried to proceed to Governor House but the police force deployed at Mall Road restrained them, however, no untoward incident occurred.
After half an hours stay at Chairing Cross, the protesters peacefully dispersed and returned to their respective bar associations. During the rally of lawyers the traffic at The Mall remained blocked as the traffic police blocked all the roads adjoining the mall.
Earlier addressing the general house meeting of LHCBA, lawyers strongly condemned the stubbornness of PPP government and the cruel steps being taken to sabotage long march and sit-in which, they said, was democratic and constitutional right of every citizen.
The speakers included President LHCBA MA Shahid Siddiqi, Secretary Muqtadir Akhter Shabbir, PBC member Hamid Khan, Malik Munsif Awan, Chaudhry Zulfiqar, Tayyab Zameer and former president bar Anwar Kamal. The speakers said the nation on 18 February 2008 voted for the revival of democracy in the country but the leaders after coming in rule forgot their promises, which they had made during their election campaign.
They said that lawyers hoped to the democratic rulers for the restoration of judiciary but unfortunately they were still struggling as in the regime of dictator General (Retd) Musharraf. Condemning the cruel tactics of government such as imposition of section 144 they vowed to march on every road of the country and stage dharna in Islamabad till the restoration of Justice Iftikhar.
Speakers alleged that the proclamation of governor rule and later imposition of section 144 in the province was aimed at squeeze lawyers movement. They further said that the atrocities of the civil dictator (Zardaris regime) would not be able to stop the lawyers long march and sit-in and it would meet the logical end of restoration of deposed judges. He said the prosperity of the country lies in the independence of the judiciary.
They said that lawyers were not on the roads for any personal gain but were fighting the war for the people of Pakistan. There was no way out for the so-called democratic government and it had to restore former Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry with all other judges, they added. Lawyers leaders condemned the arrest of the lawyers who had inaugurated the long march from Karachi. The roar of slogan Go Zardari Go and verses from revolutionary poets dominated the general house meeting.