Lawyers mark black day today over ‘emergency plus’ order

Bars nationwide will hoist black flags and hold meetings to condemn PCO by former president Pervez Musharraf.

LAHORE: Lawyers, countrywide, will mark today as a black day to condemn the imposition of emergency and the sacking of judges through the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) by former president Pervez Musharraf.

Bars around the country have given calls to their members to hoist black flags on bar rooms and to wear black arm bands for the day.

They have also been asked to hold meetings to denounce acts that subverted the fundamental rights of people, sacked superior court judges and detained them in their homes by declaring them sub-jails.

Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) and Lahore Bar Association (LBA) have given calls in this regard.

The SCBA president elect Asma Jahangir and other members of her cabinet have called for observation of the black day at all bars across the nation.

Asma Jahangir said that the movement for the restoration of the rule of law should be recalled and the bars should take a fresh look at moving forward, in a constructive manner, for the objectives of this struggle.

PBC executive committee chairman Chaudhry Muhammad Nasrullah Waraich and vice chairman Muhammad Kazim Khan have also requested the legal fraternity to observe the strike.

LHCBA secretary Babar Murtaza Khan has called a general house meeting to condemn the acts of the dictatorial government on November 3 and to appreciate the lawyers’ heroic struggle.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 3^rd, 2010.