ISLAMABAD (INP): Lawyers community from across the country on Thursday observed strike and boycotted all court proceedings in protest against the sit-ins by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistani Awami Tehreek (PAT) on the call of Pakistan Bar Council whereas in some cities black flags were also raised in the bar rooms.
Lawyers consider the sit-ins by PTI and PAT a major threat to democracy in Pakistan and according to them the demands by Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri are unconstitutional.
On the appeal of Pakistan Bar Council, lawyers boycotted courts in Islamabad, delaying the hearing of thousands of cases.
Lawyers also boycotted courts in Karachi. The district courts in Malir remained closed and therefore, the pending cases couldn’t be heard. The hearing of security cases was also delayed. Following the appeal of Pakistan Bar Council, the lawyers in Lahore were also on strike. The judicial affairs, on the other hand, were also at a standstill.
Thousands of cases pending before the sessions court and in the courts of Cantt and Model Town areas of Lahore were also on hold.
Meanwhile, the lawyers in Multan also shunned courts in protest against Imran and Qadri’s sit-in outside the Parliament House.
Those awaiting hearings in the courts were facing severe crisis and left from courts completely disappointed and hopeless.
In Quetta, other than boycotting Balochistan High Court, sessions court and district courts the lawyers remained aloof from all court proceedings.
However, in Peshawar too, the lawyers staged protest demonstration against Imran and Qadri, therefore the High Court including other divisional courts remained closed.
Lawyers refused to appear in courts in the city of Kasur, whereas in other cities of Punjab like Jhang and Vehari, the courts have also remained shut as lawyers were observing strike.
The lawyers also observed protest in Lahore, Rawalpindi and other cities of Punjab and boycotting the court proceedings.
In Gilgit the lawyers boycotted the court proceedings to express their solidarity with the democratic institutions.
Pakistan Bar Council and Supreme Court Bar Association in Wednesday’s meeting had urged the political parties to make all endeavours to resolve the political crisis without compromising the constitutional and legal norms.
