Twin cities lawyers observe black day

Legal fraternity of twin cities observe black day against release of US citizen and CIA contractor Raymond Davis.

ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI:

Like other parts of the country, the legal fraternity of twin cities on Thursday observed a black day against the release of US citizen and CIA contractor Raymond Davis and termed it “an attack on Pakistan’s sovereignty”.

Hundreds of lawyers assembled in Rawalpindi District courts to protest against the release of the Davis and later marched towards Katchery Chowk, blocking the road for an hour. They chanted slogans against the government for providing safe passage to Davis, who was being tried for double murder and obtaining visa under a false name at the Lahore High Court (LHC).

In Islamabad, lawyers staged protests outside court premises and also took out rallies. Members of Lahore High Court (LHC), Rawalpindi Bar, District Bar Rawalpindi, Islamabad District Bar and Islamabad High Court (IHC) boycotted court proceeding and hoisted black flags on bar rooms.

President District Bar Rawalpindi Malik Jawad Khalid said that proper legal procedure was not adopted in this case as the accused was being tried for charges other than murder. President High Court Bar Rawalpindi Bar Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui condemned David’s release and termed it an “illegal move”.

In their general body meeting, lawyers passed a unanimous resolution condemning the release of Davis, and held the provincial and federal governments responsible for the act.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 18^th, 2011.