Hazara lawyers step up court boycott

The lawyers' strike in Abbottabad has entered its ninth consecutive day, with the legal fraternity continuing its boycott of court proceedings over an unresolved dispute with the district administration following an alleged confrontation during the demolition of a water filtration plant at the district courts.

The protest took on a wider regional dimension on Tuesday when lawyers across Hazara Division observed a complete strike, resulting in a boycott of judicial proceedings at courts throughout the division, including the Peshawar High Court's Abbottabad Bench.

In the latest development, the High Court Bar Association, Abbottabad Bench, announced a complete strike and boycott of all court proceedings on Wednesday.

According to a press note issued by High Court Bar Secretary Naseer Khan Tanoli, the decision was taken in continuation of the legal fraternity's peaceful protest over what the association described as an "unfortunate incident" involving lawyers in Abbottabad. The decision was endorsed by all five Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council members representing Hazara Division.

The High Court Bar urged lawyers to ensure the strike's complete success and refrain from appearing before any court on September 9.