Pakistan

Over 1300 lower court judges resign

More than 1300 lower court judges submit resignations to show solidarity with Justice Zawwar A Sheikh.

Express October 04, 2010

More than 1300 lower court judges across Punjab have submitted resignations to show solidarity with District and Sessions Judge Justice Zawwar A Sheikh as the bar-bench rift continues.

The resignations were submitted after a meeting of Sessions Judges. It was decided that judges across Punjab would resign in support of Justice Zawwar.

Meanwhile, the lawyers of Lahore are observing a black day against police torture and are also pressing the Lahore High Court to transfer District and Sessions Judge Zawwar.

Section 144 imposed around the Lahore High Court has been extended for another month.

Meanwhile more than 150 courts are closed, as judges are also observing a strike to protest against the lawyers' behaviour.

The Pakistan Bar Council has appealed to other bars of the country to express solidarity with the lawyers of Lahore. Senior Lawyer Ali Ahmad Kurd is expected to lead the lawyers' rally.

SC hears case of police torture of lawyers

The Supreme Court is hearing the case of police torture of lawyers. The video clips of the incident are being played inside the courtroom.

Justice Ramday observed that it seems the police is out to hatch a conspiracy against the judiciary.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Saturday took suo moto notice of continued scuffling between lawyers and police and issued notices to Punjab’s top administrative and police officials to explain the high-handedness of law enforcement personnel.

On Friday, police reportedly entered the Lahore district courts, known as Aiwan-e-Adl – including bar rooms and library – and mercilessly thrashed the lawyers. Several lawyers, among them women, were wounded in the mayhem.

The government officials have been asked to explain why excessive force was used against the lawyers. They have also been asked to explain their position and produce records, if any, as to whether any action has been initiated against policemen responsible for using excessive force.

Clashes continued between lawyers and police for the third day in a row on Saturday. Lawyers hurled small stones at the police after they were stopped from staging a rally outside the Awan-e-Adl. Angry lawyers smashed the glass windows of two police vehicles, dragged out the drivers and beat them with shoes. Police clubbed the lawyers and fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters.

A group of lawyers also beat up two cameramen of private TV channels who were filming the incident. They snatched their cameras and destroyed the tape. The Punjab Bar Council also barred the entry of Khwaja Muhammad Sharif, Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court, and prominent lawyers including Aitzaz Ahsan, Hamid Khan and Qazi Anwar, President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, and sons and sons-in-law of the LHC CJ from their building complex.

COMMENTS (10)

basharat | 13 years ago | Reply The time has come for judges to launch their own political party to safe guard their rights and privileges . they are already doing politics, combine resignation of judges of Punjab , seen from any angle, is a political move . Some people of the view, that so called struggle for the restoration of the Chief Justice was nothing but a political manifestation. Politics has been defined to a process by which groups of people make collective decisions , the judges are doing the same . When Army Generals who are specifically and strictly prohibited to take part in the Politics ,can occupy high political offices then why some one should have objection against the judges. Chief Justice Lahore High Court is famous for his political statements , the idea of 1300 judges resigning in Punjab, is reported to have been floated in response to his desire .

Ali Mohammad | 13 years ago | Reply ..... and that BIG Judge has no time to hear 12 May and other case.... What a Shame!!!!