Pak lawyers begin countrywide strike for reinstatement of sacked judges

Pakistani lawyers on Monday began a countrywide boycott to pressurise President Pervez Musharraf to revoke the suspension of senior judges. The Musharraf regime had suspended these judges during a state of emergency over three months ago.

Islamabad, Feb 11 : Pakistani lawyers on Monday began a countrywide boycott to pressurise President Pervez Musharraf to revoke the suspension of senior judges. The Musharraf regime had suspended these judges during a state of emergency over three months ago.

The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) has announced a total boycott of the whole judiciary till February 18.

"We demand restoration of the judiciary. It is a single point demand to restore the judiciary as it was on November 2," demanded Qazi Mohammed Anwar, chairman of the council's executive committee.

In Karachi, scores of lawyers pounded around the courthouse while judges stayed in their chambers.

The Karachi Bar Council president, Mahmudul Hasan, said lawyers would remain on strike till February 18.

Accusing the authorities of trying to create divisions within the legal fraternity, a senior lawyer Nahid Afzal said they would fail to suppress the protest movement.

"The establishment's attitude toward lawyers is getting harsher and harsher day by day," the Dawn quoted Nahid Afzal, as saying.

"They cannot foil our struggle," he added.

ANI