LAHORE – The lawyers throughout the province observed strike on Thursday, on the appeal of the Punjab Bar Council (PbBC), to protest against the Contempt of Court Bill 2012.
The legal fraternity also expressed solidarity with Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. The lawyers completely boycotted court proceedings in district courts; however, only partial strike was observed at the Lahore High Court (LHC).
PbBC Vice Chairman Ghulam Abbas Nissoana termed the bill another conspiracy against the judiciary, adding the government is trying to undermine the freedom of the judiciary.
Condemning the Pakistan Peoples Party-led government’s move against the judiciary, he rejected the Contempt of Court Bill 2012 and also pledged to oppose the bill allowing members of parliament to have dual citizenship.  “The act is against Quran and Sunnah, and also in violation of the Constitution and the Objectives Resolution,” he viewed.
Nissoana said the amendment was aimed at granting immunity to the prime minister from appearing in the Supreme Court. “The best known legal minds of the country such as Fakhruddin G Ebrahim, Aitzaz Ahsan and Raza Rabbani have shown their reservations at this act,” he concluded.